Like Father Like Son
by Shadow-and-Spirit
Summary: What if Daryl had had a son? What if Rick had a sister? Danny Dixon is in every way like his father. always keeping at a distant. When two women enter the lives of Daryl and Danny they test just how distant the two can be. Will Amy and Grace be able to get close enough to the Dixon boys to win over their hearts or will the girls' hearts be broken?
1. Intro

The air was eerily silent. Not a single noise was to be heard. Sheriff deputy Rick Grimes drove along the road with his sister Grace Grimes, spotting a silver SUV that was flipped to it's side. They got out, once they saw they could no farther. A toppled semi-truck blocking their way. There was many wrecks along the road. Both knew this was a sign of something. They got out of the car, a gas can in both the siblings hand.

Rick walked up to the truck, it was still running, so Rick hopped in and turned it off. As he was getting out, he paused. He glanced at his sister. They both looked a lot alike. Rick had brown hair and brown eyes. His sister also had brown hair, but it a more redder tint to it and her eyes were a pale green. Both of them were lean, but his sister was short, whereas he was tall. He looked at his sister in question. "Open or close?" He asked, mentioning to the door.

"Go ahead and close it. It'll be fine." She said nodding to the door. He nod and jumped down, closing the door tightly. He was still dressed in his uniform, which now was a bit dirty, while she was dressed in more casual clothes. A pair of jeans, a plain tank top, and a navy blue flannel on along with work boots. She had a plain navy blue baseball cap on, her hair messily in a side braid. "We best keep moving, Rick if we are to find gas and reach the city before night fall." She said, her southern accent slipping through.

"Mmmm." Rick agreed. He snatched his hat back up and his can. The two continue on looking for gas. Passing all sorts of vehicles that were far from okay. "Let's head down here." Rick said as he went down a grassy slope. He held his hand out and helped his sister down. "We might have better luck down here, the cars are nicer, must be a sign for something." He said as the two walked across the crash. The cars were starting to look less ripped apart.

The two continue their journey as they saw clothes and blood all over the cars and ground. One vehicle, an old grey van, had made up a temporary awning, beneath it was trances of blood, pieces of comic books, and even a pink tricycle. Grace felt a pain in her chest at seeing the abandon toy. She couldn't help, but think about the poor kids. How they could handle a situation like this.

"Come on, Gracie." Rick whispered soothingly as he made the two continue. They started to come across bodies, rotten and fly infested. Grace made a face. "Not pleasant I know, but there's nothing we can do now." They walked on and they saw a place where patches of grass was, it showed a fire had started around here.

"You gotta be shitting me." Grace scowl as she saw the sign up ahead 'No Gas' they came all this way for nothing.

"We'll... figure something out Grace. Don't worry.' Rick said as the wind picked up. Rattling the sign and the tent flapping. Grace sighed. It was no surprise. In this new world you had to fight for the goods. All resources were fair game. Grace turned. Maybe they could get some gas from the cars. Suddenly she heard the sound of small footsteps. By the look on her brother's face she knew he too heard it.

He glanced at her before slowly going to his knees and looking under the car. Rick stood up wide eyed. Grace eyed him up before she too looked down there. She could see small feet in worn out bunny slippers. A small teddy bear sitting before the small person, waiting to be picked up, small hands reached down and picked the bear up by his little leg. Grace stood and looked at Rick. "A little girl?" She whispered. "You don't think..." She trailed off too worried to finish asking.

"Little girl?" Rick suddenly called as he went after the girl. Grace bit her lip. In this world they can't take chances.

"Rick, she could be-

"Or she could be a survivor. Let's check it out." He said as he walked ahead, trying to get to the girl. "I'm a policeman." He called as he stood now behind the girl. Her head bowed, dressed in a very filthy bathrobe, her hair just as dirty, no longer a bright color, but a brownish color.

"Rick-

"Little girl!" He tried again and finally the girl stopped. "Don't be afraid. Okay?" He said as he started forward. "Little girl?" Grace held her breath. Rick had reached a hand out as the child turned and Grace knew she had been right. Her mouth was covered in blood and a lot of her mouth's skin was gone. Her pjs were covered in blood and her mouth drooled with blood and spit. Grace felt sick. She felt absolutely sick.

"Rick we have to put her down. It's not right." Grace whispered. Rick started backing up as the girl came towards him. "Rick!" Grace snapped. "Don't just stand there. She ain't no little girl anymore." She said. She had seen the worst things, things Rick couldn't even think up. She knew once they turn they are no longer human, they're dead. Grace pulled out her pistol from her waist of her jeans as she saw her brother hesitating. You can no longer hesitate in this world. Not anymore. Grace Grimes knew this and she knew what had to be done.

She raised the gun and fired. The bullet went right through the brain and the girl dropped. "They're no longer human. They're monsters."


	2. One

I hated this. I hated when my father left me to go hunting. Hated when he doesn't let me go with him. Hated to be alone in this goddamn camp. My uncle had left on a stupid trip to the city, dad was making him, said I needed my pills. I was running low on them, but that didn't mean I wanted to be left here on my own. My name is Danny Dixon.

It's been a few weeks since this hell begun. A group of us made camp just outside this city once it fell. By fell I mean the city got overrun by walkers. Walkers were the undead that rose. Pretty much zombies. Even in this hell I needed my medicine, maybe more than ever. I have severe anxiety. Can't deal with a big group of people or social situations, made me nervous and have panic attacks. The pills helped keep me calm.

I wish I could have gone with my father. It's rather boring here. I gave a sigh before standing. I ran my fingers through my short brown hair and headed off to the woods, grabbing the ax as I went. "Where are you going mini Dixon." That was Shane's favorite nickname. I turned and glared at him.

"It's Daniel." I snapped.

"Well 'Daniel' where are you going?" He asked mocking my name. I glared darkly at him. I was a rather tall 17 year old, pact full of muscles, and lean. Most wouldn't mess with me, even if I was 17, but Shane doesn't back off. He keeps going and going being a total motherfucker to me. My father hates him because of it.

"Goin' off to get some firewood unless you wanna go do it." I said coldly.

"Nope, do it yourself, mini Dixon." He said before heading off. I took a deep breath, my hands shaking from the anxiety. I opened my eyes and headed for the woods. I needed to cool down before I go and gettin' myself into trouble.

"I hate riding. I really do." I said as I held tighter to my brother. I forced myself to look down and felt ready to pass out. It was way far down for me.

"That's not what you Billy Wills all those years ago." A smile came to my lips.

"Ya and one hell of a ride that was." The siblings chuckled together. Even before the world went to hell, we have always found it easy for us to talk and laugh. Lori tested our relationship more than once, even if Rick didn't want to admit it. Rick loves Lori, but I knew she wasn't a good person. Great kid they made together, but bad woman. Always yelling at Rick for shit. He is the best she would ever get.

"Do you think we're close?" I asked, not wanting to thing negatively about my sister-in-law with Rick so desperately searching for her.

"Should be." I nod against his shoulder.

"When we get there I want a nice juice burger. Oooh and fries. I love french fries." I sighed. I was a huge salt fanatic.

"I don't think they will have that here, Grace. It is still the Apocalypse remember." I sighed.

"All too well." I muttered as I closed my eyes.

"Grace..." I frowned and looked up. The city seemed deserted.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, but got no answer from Rick. The horse whined and I held tighter to Rick. "Rick maybe we should turn back, I'm getting a bad feeling about this." I said as I held my strap to my large camping duffle bag to my back. Inside were clothes, some knives, and some pictures.

I had my main weapons on my body already. A pair of dual pistols held in their assigned holsters. The brown belt wrapped around my waist and one strap went down my left thigh and wrapped itself around it. My left thigh held a holster for one of the pistol, while the pistol resting in a holster against her hip. I had dual machetes resting in their x shaped case on my back also. I was more of blade person that a gun type. It was silenter. I also had a dagger tucked into each boot. Even without all this I still felt uneasy.

"We can't turn back, Grace. This has to be where Lori and Carl is." I bit my button lip, a nervous habit of mine.

"I don't know, Rick. It seems a bit deserted to me, I feel like we're walking into a grave yard." I whispered, feeling unsafe to raise my voice.

"Let's go." Rick said, ignoring both the horse and my instincts. Rick obviously wasn't things through.

The city was like a tomb. Newspapers scattered everywhere, cars smashed and left behind, some even crashed into buildings. I didn't like this one bit. I pulled my cap tighter on my head, as if hoping it will make me feel more safe. We past a burnt bus, both of us looking in it as we trotted by. I sighed as I saw the countless dead rotting bodies inside. "God this place looks like a scene from a horror movie." Rick still didn't say anything, just nod his head.

"Woah." I squeaked as the horsed squeaked as we neared the bus. I wasn't expecting the sudden rear up, causing me to fall painfully on the pavement below.

"Grace!" Two walkers came walking out of the bus. I stood weakly and pulled my dual machetes out. I killed the quickly enough, but I couldn't be sure if more would come. Rick held out his hand. "Come on. We need to head some where else." I nod and grabbed his hand. He pulled me up and I settled back on the horse, even if I hated this horse at this moment.

"Stupid horse, stupid walkers." I grumbled causing my brother to laugh, stress and anxiety from before washing off of us now, as we relaxed. We walked and I frown at what I saw. A tank up ahead, a dead soldier sprawled across it. I felt tears fill my eyes. He looked to have died in so much pain, his mouth wide open as if he died screaming, crows pecking at what was left of him. I shook my head and buried it between my brother's shoulder blades.

"Look." I looked up and gasped as I saw a helicopter. "That has to be a good sign." He said as he quickly started after it.

"It has to be." I said a grin spreading across my face. Completely relaxed now knowing there maybe someone to help us.

I should have known relaxing wasn't a good thing. We trotted away from the dead solider and right into a herd of walkers. "Oh. My. God." I breathed out. We had turned the next corner to follow the helicopter, but the heard was there instead. There had to be a thousand of them. The horse screamed and I felt fear consume my body.

We were going to die. We were going to die out here. All my life I wanted what Rick had. Someone who loved you and would do anything for you, not that Lori is like that anymore, and I wanted to have kids with him and grow old together. Now I was just going to die. Die before I ever even got a chance to experience what love is like. The walkers started towards us.

I walked out of the trees and headed over to the main campfire to set the wood down. I saw Amy sitting by the fire a mushroom in her hand. "I would eat that if I were you, that's Muscarin. Poisonous." I said as I set the wood down. She looked up at me surprised.

"How do you know that?" She asked.

"It's bright orange. Trust me I know." She frown.

"Would you be able to pick out the poisonous ones in here. Lori said Shane would..." I looked over at her.

"Ya, probably busy fucking the bitch right now." I took the bucket from her and started throwing out the bd mushrooms.

"Well.. I mean-

"Just cause you're a blonde don't mean you gotta act like one." I said before handing the bucket back. "There." I said before walking off.

"Thanks, Danny!" She called, but I just waved her off. Amy was the only one in this stupid camp I actually don't mind talking to. The rest are bunch cock suckers. You got deputy dipshit who walks around as if he own the place. Then you got the stupid niger who thinks he's all high and mighty with his cock sucking bitch Jacqui. Then the chinaman... he's not bad, but he' just annoying. Blonde bitch is always bitching at me for being near Amy, like I have any control of Amy wondering over to me all the time. Then you have Ed the fucken beater, who a piece of shit. His bitch, Carol, is okay. She offers to clean my clothes all the time and actually treats me like a human being, so she is another I like. Their daughter, Sophia, needs to toughen up or she will never survive, but she has done no harm to me yet, so I don't really mind her all that much or the younger boy, Carl either, same goes for him as Sophia. Now Carl's bitch of a mother is another thing. She is sleeping with deputy dipshit and because of that she thinks she some kind of queen. Prancing around and talking her mouth off about my family as if were just dog shit stuck on her boots. The old man is no better always getting into our business, asking questions like he knows us. Then you got the stupid Mexican family who is as bad as the rest of them.

Well to hell with all of them. They wouldn't even be alive right now if it wasn't for my family. My father and us do all the hunting for them, bring them meat to eat and all they do is complain and complain. Stupid motherfuckers.

I grumbled and sat down by my camp, sharping my arrows. I used a combat bow, unlike my father's cross bow. I find combat bows more easier to handle and load. It's my main weapon along with the pistol I keep tuck in the back of me. My boots also had blades in them that popped out from the front and back, and a hunting knife resting on my waist.

I lean back against a tree, closing my eyes and enjoying the breeze. It was, like any other day, hot and it was rare for a breeze to come through. I had a black muscle shirt on, a red plaid shirt wrapped around my waist, and jeans on. I wasn't too warm thankfully. I crossed my ankles, my boots hitting against one another making the steel toe click.

I gave a sigh, finally able to relax for once. All these stress and work isn't good for my anxiety. I think I had more anxiety attacks than I had in a long time. "Danny?" I opened my eyes with a sigh and saw little Sophia standing there.

"What?" I grumbled.

"Can I join you?" I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Why?"

"M-my pa-" She didn't need to say no more.

"Fine, but bother me and you're leaving." She smiled at me before sitting beside me and closing her own eyes. I chuckled and closed mine. "Thanks Danny." I just grunted out a reply.

My heart pounded in my chest as I saw the hoard starting for us. "Rick?" I cried out. The walkers moan and groans filled the air. They lunged at the horse, causing it to rear up, this time I made damn sure to cling onto my brother. "Rick?!" I called again, desperately trying to have his attention. We needed to get out of here and get a plan or we're going to die.

"Hold on!" Rick yelled as he turned the horse and started riding quickly back the way we came. I clung on and looked behind us.

"They gaining on us, Rick! Go faster!" I yelled. I felt myself practically shaking. These bastards were running. I never seen walkers run before. Oh god we're going to die. I looked back around to see we made it to the tank, but walkers had filed in and now surrounded at us, desperately trying to get a hold of us. "Rick!" I cried out, kicking at a bite too clingy walker.

"Oh, shit." Rick gasped.

"Ya oh shit!" I snapped at him. "What the bloody hell are we going to do!" I screamed at him. "We can't take them all." I cried as Rick tried to wheel us around, but we were completely boxed in. The horse reared up terrified. It's ears pressed flat against it's, screaming as the walkers grabbed at it with their decaying hands, it's golden eyes rolling back into it head. It was all too much. I can't handle this.

If I stayed on this horse we would surely die. We couldn't shot them all down, but we could make a path. Before I could even think about reaching for my pistols I was yanked off the horse. I winced as my ankle twisted oddly. "Shit." I cursed as Rick landed beside me. We watched as the horse was ripped apart by the monsters.

I stood up. "Nows our chance to run." Rick said.

"Rick I can't run." I cried as I put pressure on my ankle. He looked at me scared. We were going to die. We were really going to die. The walkers started surrounding us. I walked with a hobble as I tried not to put too much pressure on my ankle. I put my blades out and started slicing their heads off, but I knew I would grow too tired to keep it up for long.

Rick didn't even have a single weapon thanks to the bag of guns resting by the horse. "Take my pistols. It's best we can do for now." I said. He looked at me before grabbing the two guns. He started firing off rounds, but I knew it would last for ever. My bullets were in my bag, which thankfully was still on my back.

"We need to make a run for the tank. You can't make it on your ankle and these guns won't last long. It's the only thing we can do!" Rick called. I gave a nod and started making path. We ran for the tank, as best as I could. I walker, grabbing my good foot from right from under me. I fell to the tough pavement, my teeth biting into my tongue and my nose hitting hard, luckily it didn't break, but there was going to be a nasty bruise later.

"Grace!" Rick shot the walker and pulled me to my feet. We slid under the tank. I was breathing heavily and looked from side to side. There was no way out from this. We were going to die.

"Oh god, oh god." Rick said whispering over and over again as a crawler started our way, swiping at our feet. I looked around desperate for any way out of this. Any way at all and that's when I found it.

"Rick!" I yelled out as the tank begun to get completely surrounded. I could a small open hatch. "We can do this! We just gotta get in!" I yelled as I started pulling myself through.

"Grace!"

"I'm fine, Rick. Come on. Quick!" I yelled down. He climbed up, walkers trying to pull him down, bu he shook them off and climbed inside, before slamming the hatch shut. I gave a sigh and crabbed walked to a wall before leaning against it. "Thank god." I said, my heart racing like crazy. I thought it was going to beat right out of my chest.

"Oh god." Rick said before the two of us started laughing. It wasn't funny. Not at all, but we were merely laughing at the fact that we had survived. For now anyways.

"We gotta find a way out of here. We can't stay in here with Mr. Rotter too long." Rick looked where I was and saw the decaying soldier laying there. Rick picked up the gun, but I stopped him.

"Too dangerous inside." I grabbed my knife from my boot and as the walker turned it's decaying face, snarling and hissing at me, I slammed it into it's forehead.

"Another hatch." Rick said putting up. "Maybe we can get out of here." He started opening it.

"Rick, don't they get-" Rotting arms reached for him. I didn't even need to look to know there were walkers along the top of this tank. Rick quickly closed the hatch.

"Or not." He muttered before sinking down. I knew he was afraid, hut what could we really do. I had sore ankle and he was using borrowed guns, leaving me with just a few blades. I closed my eyes. We were trapped here and as good as dead. Not a single supply in here except a full clip of bullets lying by the dead soldiers feet.

"Hey, you two" A voice said. "dumbasses."


	3. Two

"Hey, you two," A voice called. "Dumbasses." I jumped u so fast I saw stars. I looked around until my eyes fell on the radio in the corner. "Ya, you two in the tank. You guys cozy in there?" I grabbed the radio and scooted back over to my brother. "Hey, are you alive in there?" The voice asked again.

"Hello?" I called through it. "Who is this."

"There you are. You had me wondering." The guy said. Rick took the radio from me.

"Where are you? Outside? Can you see me right now?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I can see you too. You're surrounded by walkers. That's the bad news." I yank the radio back.

"What's the good news then?" I asked.

"There's good news?" Rick asked over the radio.

"No." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay fine. Who ever you are is there any way we can get out here and get the bag we dropped."

"Oh man, you should see it from over here. You'd be having a major freak-out." I frown.

"Yes I get it, very bad, but can you find we can get out of here."

"I'd say make a run for it." My jaw dropped.

"Make a run for it?! Are you nuts? There has to be about a thousand of them out there if not more." I exclaimed.

"My way is not as dumb as it sounds." The guy said. "You've got eyes on the outside here. There's one geek still up on the tank, but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where that horse went down. You with me so far?" I looked over at my brother. He gave a nod.

"Ya we're with you. Be tough, but go on." I said.

"Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you move now, while they're distracted, you stand a chance. You got ammo?"

"Got machetes, my brother got two pistols and plenty of ammo, but we have that bag out there with lots of guns and ammo."

"Forget the bag." The boy said with slight impatience. "It's not an option. Try looking for more. May need it." He said. Rick started searching the body as I replied back.

"Will do." I waited and Rick held up a grenade. My eyes widen. "Yup we're all good." I said and Rick chuckled.

"Okay, jump off the right side of the tank, keeping going in that direction. There's an alley up the street, maybe fifty yards. Be there." He said and I sighed in relief.

"Thank you. I'm Grace, the guy's my brother Rick, what's you're name?"

"Haven't you been listening. You're running out of time." I nod and look at Rick. We needed to be ready for this.

As we opened the hatch I saw a walker on the roof, like the guy had said. I stabbed it with my machete and started climbing out slowly. Rick followed me out and jumped down first. He winced, it was defiantly further down than we thought, Rick held his arms and I jumped down in them. He gently place me on the ground and we got ourselves ready.

We started running where he told us to go, slashing at every walker that came my way, Rick firing off those he could. My ankle was starting to swell I could feel it, but I kept going, teeth clenched and limping, I kept going. Rick had to wrap an arm around me and help me run the rest of the way after awhile. I sighed as I saw an alley. We ran threw, Rick with gun aimed and ready to fire.

An Asian kid helped up his hands in surrender. "Whoa! Not dead!" He cried. I sighed in relief, but saw fear and panic fill his. "Come on, come on." He said. I looked back and gasp. We started running again. I was limping so much. I don't think I can keep going. My leg gave out.

"No way, Gracie. No way am I loosing you yet." Rick scooped me up and he ran with me in his arms.

"Faster!" The kid yelled.

"We're trying!" Rick yelled back, holding onto me tightly. "Just hold Grace. We'll get out of this mess, promise."

"Come on, come on." The kid screamed. We slowed as we saw a yellow fire escape scaling the right hand wall. The kid all, but threw himself at it as he started to climbed.

"You can do this, Grace. Don't look down and you'll be good. I'll be right below you in case you need help." I nod and grabbed a hold of the rungs. I started climbing. My ankle hurt, but I didn't slow down.

"Come on, get up." The kid grabbed my hand and pulled me up. He turned and pulled Rick up next.

"Shit that was too close." I said. Rick nod in agreement. I turned and hit Rick hard in the chest.

"Ow! Grace!"

"That is for not listening to me when I said I had a bad feeling about this place, you bastard." The guy chuckled as he watched us fight. Rick winced, but didn't dare talk back. He knew it was best to let me cool. I wasn't like Rick. I was selfless like him, but I was very hot headed, rather bossy, stubborn, and on good days very sweet and caring... on good days. Today was no way in hell a good day.

"Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood." The Asian said as he looked at my brother. "You're the new sheriff come riding into clean up the town." I snorted.

"Nice title bro." I said as I rubbed my throbbing ankle.

"It wasn't my intention." y brother said giving me a look. I smirked. "Your ankle okay?"

"Ya, just will need to rest it. Just twisted. Easy fix." I said.

"Ya, whatever. Yee-haw." He said with a glare. "You're still a dumbass." I sighed.

"Ya well no offense to your whole dumbass theory, but can we get off this balcony." I said as I peered down.

"Afraid of heights?" He asked. I turned and looked back at him.

"Deathly."

"Rick, thanks." My brother said and I smiled.

"Grace." I said with a small smile.

"Glenn and you're welcome." He said as he shook my brother's outstretched hand after a moment of hesitation.

I looked back down and paled. "Uh... guys." They turn and looked at me before looking down.

"Oh no." Glenn whispered.

I looked around trying to find a way out before seeing that the fire escape continued up. "The bright side?" Glenn said as he started climbing. "It'll be the fall that kills us."

"Not something you say to someone whose afraid of heights." I grumbled from behind him as I too started climbing. Rick gave me a sympathetic look.

"It'll be fine, Gracie, just don't look down."

"Don't look down! Don't look down! Both you need to learn what not to say a frecken girl afraid of heights?!" I whispered yelled.

I stood on my wendigo as I watched Amy head over to the Dixon boy. The kid was only 17. He looked it, but he also had the Dixon look that made him look a bit more rough around the edges. He was built, no doubt about it, he was also rather tall. Had that whole rough redneck look about him. His hair was just long enough that the kid could run his fingers through it when frustrated, but it was the eyes that really caught my attention. He had blue eyes like his father and uncle, but his eyes were more brighter, like lightning. His eyes held a softness that not the other Dixons had, but also a sharpness that came out with his temper.

I watched as Amy walked to him, no hesitation or fear, she didn't act like everyone else did to the Dixons. She accepted them, or more importantly Danny. Ever since we came here Amy had been pulled to Danny. As if she just needed to by him. Danny was the same way, he fought it more than once, even I can see that, but he still ended up close enough to her that he could watch out for her. He was always keeping an eye on her. As if he was afraid that if he didn't he'd loose her. It was rather cute if you thought about it.

The only thing was that Danny was still a Dixon and like them he wanted distant, something Amy refuses to give him, but he never snaps at her. I found it funny. The kid could bring even Shane down from his throne, but this one girl made him mush. She made him smile, laugh, and relax. Something I've notice only his father had been able to do. Danny fights the pull to Amy, like he's afraid of getting to close to her, but he won't be able to fight it for long, I can see it, he's too far in.

I watched as Amy sat next to something. She said something causing Danny to smile, showing his teeth and all. She brushes up against him, causing Danny to stiffen. I watched as he said something before standing and headed to the woods. Still fighting it. I shouldn't step in, but couldn't help as I yelled out to him. "Hey Danny!" I called, stopping him in his tracks. He looks up at me, squinting in the sun. "Now I don't want you go wondering off none, son. Your father would skin us all alive if something happened to you. Why not stay in camp, just in case." I said, hoping to not make him made. He scowled at me letting me know I had.

"You ain't my father and I ain't no kid. I can protect myself." He snapped before walking off through the woods, his footsteps a bit more heavy and angry than usual. Amy looked back at me and sighed.

"Go easy on him, Dale. Don't push him. He's still a Dixon. They don't like dealing with nonDixons. I'm surprise he puts up with even me." She said once she was standing just below him. I chuckled.

"I'll keep that in mind Amy." I said and she nod before heading back to the bucket.

"I'm heading out to get more mushrooms, Lori just got back and so did Shane." I frowned as she said and Shane. I didn't like messing with people's businesses, but that woman has a 11 year old son. She shouldn't be sneaking around with her dead husband's friend. Especially when Carl is still hurting.

I shook my head and resumed my watch.

I carried the bucket through the woods before hearing a branch snap. I turn quickly and scanned the woods. "Relax, princess. It's just me." I scoff at the name as Danny walked out.

"Princess?" He smiled.

"Fits, I think." I crossed my arms.

"So what I'm some spoiled brat? Is that what you're getting at?" I snapped. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"What crawled up your ass." He said as he continue through the woods, I followed after him.

"I just don't like being called that." He shrugged, but didn't look back at me. "What's with your sudden escape to the woods anyways?" I asked.

"Wanted to be alone." The way he said it made me stop.

"Oh... sorry... I just came to get mushrooms... so I'll leave it to you." I said turning to walk away, heart heavy in my chest. I heard Danny sigh.

"Amy." I turned and looked back at him. "You sound like some rhino stomping around. Plus you can't tell which mushrooms to get. Come on." He said waving me over. I smiled softly and started back over. "Plus, think Dale would kill me if you got lost." I blushed.

"I'm not-

"You're a city girl, Amy. You'd get lost." He huffed, which only made that stupid grin on his face deepen.

"Shut up Dixon." I snapped. He chuckled.

"Sorry... _princess,_ no can do." I glared at the back of his head.

"That's what you're going to call me now, princess?" He turned back and looked at me.

"Yup." He said with a smile. I pushed him back and started forward. "Amy don't." He grabbed my hand and pulled me back, my foot setting off a trap, but being pulled away before any harm could be done. Danny pulled me to him and right into his chest. My heart raced as I looked up at him. "One of my uncle's traps. Small bear trap, set up for any smaller animals wondering in. Would have taken your foot off if you went and set it off." He whispered, his breath fanning my face.

"Thank you." I whispered. My eyes fell to his lips before looking up back at his bright blue eyes. His eyes held some kind of emotion I couldn't read. He let go of me and stepped back a good three feet away.

"Um... right." He said rubbing the back of his head. "We should head back. It's getting late. Your sister should be back soon." I sighed, but nod.

"Sure." I said walking past him and headed back up. Every time I think I'm getting closer to him, he pushed back.

I jumped down and ended up in some alley. There was a bus parked there, preventing four walkers from coming through. "You the one barricaded the alley?" My brother asked.

"Somebody did. I guess when the city got over run. Whoever did it was thinking not may geeks would get through." Glenn said.

We sprinted across a roof top to a metal hatch. "Back at the tank, why did you stick your neck out for us?" Rick asked as Glenn opened the hatch. There was a small square hole under it that descended into darkness.

Call it foolish, naive hope." The guy said as he climbed down the hole. "That if I'm ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me." Rick and I started down the hole. "Guess I'm an even bigger dumbass than you." I frown. It wasn't wrong. He could have gotten himself killed, plus in the world we live in now... nobody is that selfless.

Once at the bottom of the shaft, I found I was in an office. The furniture was overturned, ceiling panels half collapsed, and there was so much paper strewn about that it looked like snow. It was like being in the hospital all over again. Glenn grabbed his bag, as I grabbed mine and the three of us rushed for the exit. As we came out of the office we saw a small flight of metal stepes that led down into the bus barricaded alley. Glenn pulled out his walkie and started talking into it. "I'm back. Got two guests plus four geeks in the alley." Glenn said into it.

Glenn backed up into us as the walkers started over. Just then the door in the wall behind the walkers, had burst open revealing two figures in police riot gear. They came charging out and started beating the walkers down with baseball bats. "Let's go!" Glenn cried out as he leaped down the last two steps. He and the rest of us raced the short distance to the open door. The two guys behind us closed it after themselves.

I turned around just as some chick slammed my brother into a file cabinet and a gun pointed right at him. "Son of a bitch, we ought to kill you." The girl snarled.

"Try having the gun safety off you damn bitch." I snapped as I ripped the gun right out of her grip. "And don't go pointing no gun at my brother, you got it, or you'll have a machete cut your head in half. We ain't done nothing." I spat at her.

"We're dead because of these stupid assholes." The girl said glaring at me.

"Andrea. Back the hell off." The Mexican guy said, I believe I heard the black man call him Morales.

"Listen, Andrea, if you **are** going to point a gun at a person than 1 take the damn safety off, 2 don't hesitate because you'll just have a repeat of what happened plus death, and 3 pull the goddamn trigger if you mean to, if not then put the damn gun away." I said as I pushed it into her hand. "Cause you ain't the type to shoot a gun at a living person." I said, my voice now more softer and gentler.

"We're dead, all of us, because of you." The girl said shaking her head at my brother and I as Morales stripped the riot gear off him.

"I don't understand." My brother said looking at her confused.

"Look, we came into the city to scavenge supplies." Morales said as he grabbed my brother's arm and mine and started marching us through the room. He picked up a flashlight and shoved Rick hard. "You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving. You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets likes it's the OK Corral." He said.

"Technically he was shooting, not me." I said earning myself a look from Rick.

"Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds." The black guy said as he spoke with anger in his voice.

"You just rang the dinner bell." Andrea said coldly.

"Get the picture now?" Morales asked. I turned and saw the department store outside had a mass of walkers. All of them clawing at the windows blocking any sun and making rather monstrous shadows on the floors. I could hear the horrifying moaning and groaning even through the solid glass of the two set of doors. I felt a shiver take over me as the broken fingers scraped the glass, making the sound go right through me. I could see cracks in the glass in different places. I knew these walkers would get in eventually. I gasped as I saw a walker make his way through the others with a chunk of concrete in his hands. He slammed it against the door causing spiderweb cracks to spread out from the point of impact.

"Oh god!" Andrea cried as she backed away from the door. "What the hell were you doing out there anyway?" Andrea asked as the walker kept going, but very slowly.

"Trying to flag the helicopter." Rick said.

"Helicopter?" The black guy asked. "Man, that's crap. Ain't no damn helicopter."

"But... we saw..." I frowned confused.

"You two were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens." A sharp featured woman said as she held up her hands.

"No way.' I said shaking my head

"We saw it." Rick snapped.

"Hey T-Dog." Morales called. "Try that CB, Can you contact the others?" He asked.

"Others?" I looked at T-Dog in surprised. Maybe the refugee center was still up.

"The refugee center?" Rick asked hope clear in his voice.

"Yeah, the refugee center." The sharp-featured woman snapped a bit. "They got biscuits waiting at the oven for us." I frowned confused. This all didn't make sense. I mean I knew Shane was going to take Lori, Carl, Rick, and I to Atlanta, but he had to get Rick. When we got there he was dead. Shane said we had to go, but I refused to leave Rick, so we agreed to split up. I would go meet up with him in Atlanta when I was ready.

"Got no signal. Maybe the roof." T-Dog said as he fiddled with the radio. I jumped as I heard a loud gunshot overhead.

"Oh, no! Is that Dixon?" Andrea cried.

"What is that maniac doing?" The other woman asked sounding just as nervous and frantic. Everyone started heading to the other side of the store in a run. Glenn beckoned us to follow.

"Come on, let's go." He called. I glanced at Rick, who gave me a nod, and we headed after the rest.

I walked Amy back before heading back over to my camp. "Where have you been, mini-Dixon?" I was in no mood to deal with deputy dipshit.

"Ain't none of your business." I snapped.

"Oh I think it is my business, Dixon. The way I see it Andrea wouldn't be to please to hear you running off with her baby sister." I felt my hands turn to into fists and tighten. "That you're getting your dick wet in her virgin pussy." My breath had picked up as I tried hard to remain calm. My father wouldn't like to hear that I beat the hit out this dipshit especially because of Amy. "That you pounded into-

"If you keep going, I'm going to pound in your face, and you ain't going like it." I snapped.

"Why? Because I tell you what you want? I know you're to pussy to even try with Amy." I stood and glared at him.

"Now listen her cocksucker-" I was cut off by Dale.

"You two alright down there?" I glanced over Shane's shoulder and saw Dale looking right at me. His eyes went to Shane then me before beckoning me over. I raised an eyebrow, pushed past Shane roughly.

"We're fine Dale." I said, using his actually name instead of old man.

"Then you wouldn't mind sitting with an old man, gets rather lonely up here." He said. He was hinting at me. He didn't want me alone with Shane. It would help keep control. With a sigh I climbed up. "Getting at you again?" He asked? I simply shrugged and sat down on the roof of the rv.

"Doesn't know how to keep his damn mouth shut." I snapped.

"Mmm I've noticed." Dale said, causing me to glance over at him. His eyes remained on Shane. "He doesn't like anyone better than him."

"You saying us Dixons are?" I asked surprised.

"No. I'm saying your dad and you are, Merle..." He trailed off.

"Merle is a mean bastard." I finished. "I know. Always loosing his temper and making stupid racial and sexist comments. It's who he is."

"But it isn't who you are nor your father." Dale said. I simply shrugged. "I'm good at knowing people, your dad and you are good people. You bring us food and don't even complain. Not many would do that or stand that." I shrugged.

"Can't have people starving to death."

"And why not? We're not your problem nor your father's and yet you do it anyways." I looked over at him.

"What you getting at old man?"

"You and your father are rough around the edges, but you are good people. Amy sure sees it in you." I looked away and down at Amy. "You should-

"You don't know nothin' so stay out of it." I snapped.

"You won't be able to push her away forever, Danny. One day you will break." I looked over at him coldly.

"Amy ain't nothing to me. Just some blonde bitch." I snapped. I stood and headed down the latter.

"Keep telling yourself that kid." Dale called. I glared at him before storming back over at my camp. Damn old man knows nothin'.

We ran up a flight of stairs to the roof as the gunshots continued. Morales slammed opened the door. "Hey, Dixon, are you crazy?" He yelled. I heard a rather rough voice. Rick and I walked out onto the roof, squinting at the blinding sun.

I could see a man standing on the chest-high wall that ran around the edge of the roof. He was holding a scoped rifle, which must have been what he had used to shoot before. He was a rather built man that was sweaty and brawny. He was dressed in a black leather vest and jeans. His head was mostly shaved, only having a very thin layer of iron grey, which was darker than his stubble on his face. He turned and looked at us, laughing, before going and aiming at a walker, shooting it dead.

"Oh, jeez." Andrea snapped annoyed.

"Hey!" The guy yelled as he faced us once more. His rifle waving in our direction. I didn't like it. Not one bit. He gave me the creeps. "You ought to be more polite to a man with a gun! Huh?" Defiantly not a good person. He jumped down as he said. "Only common sense." T-Dog pushed past us and stormed right up to the man.

"Man, you wasting bullets we ain't even got! And you bring 'em all down here on our ass, man. Just chill!"

"Hey, bad enough I got this taco-bender" The guy said as he gestured to Morales. I glared at the man not liking him at all. "On my ass all day. Now I'm gonna take orders from you." He started for T-Dog, every step filled with aggression. "I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day."

"That'll be the day? You got something you want to tell me?" T-Dog asked with anger as he trust his hands at the man then back at his own chest.

"Hey, T-Dog, man, just leave it." Morales said.

"No." T-Dog said as he pointed to him without even looking. I sighed and started for T-Dog, even if the other man scared the crap out of me, doesn't mean I'll let him beat T-Dog up.

"It ain't worth it." Morales said again. "Now, Merle, just relax, okay? We've got enough trouble."

"Do you want to know the day?" Merle grinned and it was anything, but pretty.

"Yeah." T-Dog said, refusing to back down.

"T-Dog we have walkers from miles after us. Don't go having yourself die from this son of a bitch. What would that say?" I asked softly as I rested a hand on his arm.

"I'll tell you the gesture, Mr 'You'" Merle made a mocking gesture with his hands. "It's the day I take orders from a nigger."

"Mother..." T-Dog pulled his arm free from my soft grip and lunged at him.

"T-Dog!" I screamed as Merle slammed the butt of the rifle into T-Dog's face. I glared at the man.

"Hey! Come on, Merle! That's enough." Morales shouted, but he still didn't come to help T. It was so stupid. All these men too afraid of this Merle guy to even help their friend.

Merle grabbed T-Dog by the shirtfront and punched him. I grabbed a hold of his arm. "Back the fuck of!" I growled. He eyed me over and it made me sick. "You gonna get us all killed, bastard. So fuck off!" I growled and I saw surprise in everyone's face, but I'm not the type to let some dick beat a poor innocent guy up. Especially this hick.

"And what you gonna do sugar tits." He did not just call me that! I growled and went for my machete. I was going to chop this guy's head off, but he had seen and pushed me back hard. I fell and hit my head against a pipe. My vision going black. I couldn't hear or see anything, my head was spinning. I held my head. When my vision started clearing up I pulled my hand back to see blood. I looked over just in time to see Rick slam the rifle right into Merle's face. Merle fell to the ground and gave a startled yelp. Rick crouched over him and pressed his knee hard down on the side of his face. He handcuffed him to one of the thick metal pipes.

"Who the hell are you, man?" Merle yelled.

"Officer Friendly." Rick said sarcastically as he got Merle's handgun. "Look here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no niggers anymore. No dumb-as-shit, inbred, white trash fools either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart."

"Screw you man." Merle sneered at him.

"I can see you make a habit of missing the point." Rick said as he looked down at the cuffs.

"Yeah? Well, screw you twice." Andrea helped me to my feet.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved." She said quietly. I glared at her.

"At least I tried to help. What did you do, stand around and watch your friend get beat. I get you were scared, but T-Dog is a human, You stick up for friends and humans. There ain't much left of humans." I said coldly, I shrugged her off and I started walking beside my brother.

"All I am anymore is a man looking for his wife and son." Rick said, his voice low in an almost growl. "Anybody gets in the way of that is gonna lose." I looked over at Rick. "I'll give you a moment to think about that, but remember this, touch my baby sister again and it'll be the last thing you do." Rick said as he studied the redneck. He started going through Merle's pockets until he found a small thing of cocaine. "Got some on your nose there." Rick said, flicking Merle's nose.

"What you gonna do? Arrest me?" Merle sneered. He gave a chuckle before Rick lead me away from him and to the edge of the roof. "Hey!" He called after us. "What are you doing? Rick let the cocaine packet go and fall down to the streets below. I giggled, knowing it would piss the redneck off.

"Man, that was my stuff. Hey!" Merle roared. "If I get loose you'd better pray! You hear me, you pig? You hear me?" The man yelled as he rattled his handcuffs, trying to break free.

"Yeah, your voice carries." I giggled and lean against my brother, suddenly very exhausted.

"Do you hear me, you filthy pig?" Merle kept up yelling. We leaned against the wall farthest from Merle, my head on his shoulder. "You're not Atlanta PD. Where you from?" Morales asked as he looked at Rick and I.

"Up the road a ways." Rick said.

"Huh. Well, Officer Friendly from up the road a ways, welcome to the big city." I smiled softly. I had been a long day.


	4. Three

We joined the others looking down at the streets. The firing called them all here. There was millions of them. "My god, it's like Times Square down there." Andrea said. T-Dog sat beside Jacqui, still holding he radio in his hand. "How's that signal?" Morales asked him. I looked over at T-Dog. He looked as bad as I felt. My head was throbbing, Andrea was positive I have a small concussion and my ankle was still swollen.

"Like Dixon's brain." T-Dog answered Morales, as he glared at Merle. "Weak." I smiled and slid down beside T-Dog.

Merle flipped off T-Dog as Morales sighed. "Keep trying."

"Why? There's nothing they can do." Andrea said as she gave my brother and I an evil glare. "Not a damn thing." I was really getting tired of this bitch.

"How's the head?" T asked causing me to look over at him.

"Hurts like hell."

"You shouldn't have gotten involved."

"Why because I'm a girl?" I asked.

"No because you got hurt." I frown. "You're a selfless person, Grace, but one of these days it'll be the death of you."

"Don't worry, T-Dog, on a good day I can handle my own. It's just been one of those days." T-Dog laughed.

"Ya it has been." I smiled and looked down at my feet.

"Rick said something about you twisting your ankle." Jacqui said.

"Ya, hurts bad. Swollen." I said.

"Hmm... to bad we have no ice packs. We need to be bring that swelling down." She said.

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest it." She looked me over.

"I'm going to see what I can get for you." She said before starting away.

"You don't have..." But she already headed down the stairs.

"That's Jacqui for you, always worrying about others." I glanced over at T and gave a small smile.

"Hey, sugar tits. How about you and I go and bump some uglies." He said to me, humping up. It was disgusting.

"I'd rather jump off this roof and become walker food." I snapped. He eyed me up and down. I felt sick to my stomach. I moved closer to T-Dog who got the hint, and wrapped an arm around me and glared at Dixon. T-Dog was a good guy. I could see myself becoming friends with him.

"The streets ain't safe." Morales said. "Now there's an understatement."

"What about under the streets? The sewers." Rick said.

"Oh man." Morales said as realization came to his face. Morales turned to the rest of us. "Hey, Glenn, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?" He asked. Glenn sprinted off down the other side of the roof and looked down. "No." He said making my heart sink. "Must all be out on the streets where the geeks are." Crap.

"Maybe not." Jacqui said as she placed a ice cold icepack on my ankle. "Old buildings like this built in the twenties. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the subbasements."

"How do you that?" Glenn asked.

"It's my job. Was." She looked over at my brother. "I worked in the city zoning office." I smiled. Maybe we really can get out of here.

Everyone headed down to look, but I stayed up here. No one wanted me to walk around anymore, not until the swelling is down. That means I'm stuck with Dixon. "Mmm." He said as he eyed me up.

"What?" I snapped as he continued to look at me.

"That Officer Friendly you're brother?" I rolled my green eyes.

"That's what he said before, then it is what he meant. I'm his sister." I said annoyed by him.

"I got a baby brother." He said still looking at me, but now only at my chest. I crossed my arms, hoping for him to stop, but it only made him look all the more. "Got a baby nephew too. Both would kill your brother if they were here." I looked at him bored.

"Good thing they ain't here. Means we could kill you and they would never even know. If I were you I would play nice knowing that." The man glared at me. I look over as T-Dog walked back on the roof.

"Hey." I said. he gave a nod to me.

"Any luck?"

"They found it, but Glenn went down with Morales to look it over. Sent me back up here to keep trying to radio." I nod. "How's the ankle?" He asked. I pulled my jeans up and took the pack off.

"Still swollen, but it's going down." He nod.

"That's good. You think yo'll be able to run when the time comes?" I looked down at it.

"Sure." I said with a nod.

"Good." He sat beside me and turned the radio on. "Anybody out there?" He called through it, but there was only silence except the thunder that came from overhead. "Hello? Anybody read? I'm hoping to hear somebody's voice 'cause I'm getting sick and tired of hearing mine." I giggled.

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us." Merle said with a smirk. I roll my eyes.

"Just hang in there, T-Dog, you'll get through soon." He nod.

"Why don't you knock that crap off? You're giving me a headache, boy." Merle said as he spat on the ground. I made a face.

"Why don't you pull your head out of your ass, maybe you headache'll go away." T-Dog said right back causing me to smile, Merle gave a laugh, but only sent bad chills down my spine.

"Try some positivist for a change." T-Dog added. "Damn."

"I'll tell you what." Merle said as he pulled himself up into a kneeling position and rested his free hand on his knee. "You get me out of these cuffs and I'll be all Sammy Sunshine positive for you." I rolled my eyes. Both T-Dog and I just focused on the radio. "Hey, you see that hacksaw over there in that tool bag?" Merle asked as he nod over to it.

T-Dog glanced over at it, but didn't say anything. "Get it for me, hmm?" Merle asked. "Make it worth your while." Merle's eyes looked right into T-Dog's. "What do you say, man? Come on." He shook his cuffs, but I simply rolled my eyes. "Get me out of these things."

"So you can beat my ass again?" T-Dog's face hardened and glared his way. "Or knock race around? Or call me nigger some more?"

"Come on now, it wasn't personal. It's just that your kind and my kind ain't meant to mix. That's all." Merle was using, what he had hoped, was a reasonable voice. "Plus... I didn't mean to push the girly around." He said eyeing me. "More rather bump some uglies." I glared at him. "Either way, it don't mean we can't work together, parley. As long as there's some kind of mutual gain involved." Merle smiled, which was not charming at all. "So about that hacksaw."

"I guess you want me to get that rifle over there too so you can shoot that cop when he comes back up, huh?" I glared at Merle as T-Dog said that.

Merle's friendliness was gone and nothing, but a promise of savagery was in his eyes. Of course T-Dog was right. Merle would go right for my brother once he was out.

The rest of them came up soon after. Another plan down the drain. Rick was looking through binoculars, hoping for sign of what he could do. "The construction site, those trucks, they always keep keys on hand." He said as he passed he binoculars to Morales.

"You'll never make it past the walkers." He said.

"You got my sister and I out of the tank." Rick said to Glenn as he took the binoculars.

"Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted." Glenn said.

"Can we distract them again?"

"Right, listen to him. He's onto something." Merle said as he pointed at Rick. "A diversion, like on Hogan's Heroes."

"God. Give it a rest." Jacqui snapped causing me to smile.

"They're drawn by sound, right?" Rick asked.

"Right, like dogs. They hear a sound, they come." Glenn said.

"What else?" I asked.

"Aside from they hear you?" Morales asked, looking over at Rick and I. "They can see you, smell you, and if they catch you, they eat you."

"They can tell us by smell?" Rick asked my eyes widen. I knew what he was getting at.

"Both of us have different smells. They're the walker smell and our smell." I said.

"They smell dead, we don't. It's pretty distinct." Andrea said.

"That's it. You guys just have to smell dead." Everyone looked at me as if I had three heads. Rick gave a nod.

"You are a genius, Grace. Come on." He said as he headed down the stairs with everyone else. T-Dog looked over at me.

"You're nuts." I smiled.

"I know."

Everyone came back onto the roof tops, T-Dog now held the key to let Merle out of his handcuffs. "Hey, what's happening, man?" He yelled.

"Hey, T-Dog, try that CB." Morales said.

"Hey, come on. Talk to me, y'all." Merle said as he strained against his cuffs.

"Bas camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" T-Dog asked as he lifted the radio to his mouth. Jacqui, Andrea, and Morales all went to the edge of the roof. Morales put the binoculars to his eyes and started looking down at the streets below. "Can anybody out there here me?" Nothing came from the radio, but static and I could tell T-Dog was getting frusterated.

"Don't worry, T. We'll be fine. If we don't get a hold of them, then we'll tell them what happened when we get out of this city." T-Dog gave a nod to me.

"Just need to keep trying." I nod back to him.

"There!" Morales yelled. Thunder rolled overhead causing me to frown. I was praying it didn't rain. It would ruin everything if it did. Morales had the same worry as me as he looked up a the gathering clouds.

"That asshole's out on the street with the handcuff keys?" I smiled as I heard Merle's panicked voice. T-Dog held up the keys and waved them at Merle. I could have laughed at the look on Merle's face.

I sat at my camp as everyone went on doing their daily chores or messed around with Dale's RV. I could see Amy pacing, no doubt worrying over her bitch of a sister. I didn't worry for Merle, he was an idiot, but he was a Dixon and the only thing that can kill a Dixon is a Dixon. "Amy." I called causing her to look over at me. She was worried and I hated seeing her like this. I shouldn't go and make friends with her, but... it was like I couldn't help it. Almost like I was drawn to her.

Amy started over and sat beside me. "She isn't back yet." Amy cried.

"Relax, Amy, everything is probably fine. You know your sister. She's with some of the best people, she and the rest of them will make it back." Amy sighed.

"She also with your uncle." I frown. I was no idiot. I knew what Merle was like. He was reckless, sexist, racist, a druggie, and could be totally selfish. I knew how he was, but I don't see him going and killing no body, coming close to it maybe, but actually killing, doubt it.

"Don't worry, Amy, she'll be fine." Amy sighed and rested her head on my shoulder causing me to flinch.

"Sorry." She went to pull away, but I shook my head. "It's fine... just not used to it." She glanced at me for a moment before laying her head back down.

"I'm scared, Danny. She's the only family I got left. I can't loose her." I sighed.

"I know. She'll come back, I promise." I whispered softly. She moved her head so she could look up at me.

"What if you can't keep that promise?" She whispered. I looked down at her.

"I keep all my promises."

I walked out of the woods about a few hours, to have Amy running up to me in tears. My eyes widen as she hugged me. I stood there shocked and unsure what to do. I wasn't used to someone touching me so much. I mean I didn't like being touched by anyone, my father was an acception, he was allowed to hug me and whatever, but... I'm just not used to others doing it. "Shane refuses to go after my sister." She whispered once I came out of my shock and wrapped my arms around her.

"What did I miss?" I asked confused.

"They're stuck in Atlanta. Walkers every where. They're on some roof of a building. It was hard to hear them, no good signal. Shane refuses to go and help them." She cried. I gave a sigh.

"Look Amy-

"You said she'd come back." I cried.

"And she will, but it is no good crying over her death when she ain't dead." I pulled away from her. "Now stop crying, Amy. Your sister will be back. Just cause their stuck at the moment ain't means they won't come back, just means it'll take longer." I went and sat at my camp with Amy moving and sitting beside me.

"I'm scared, Danny." I sighed. We were going through what we just did all over again, except this time there is a lower chance of Andrea surviving, not that I would tell Amy that.

"I told you already, Amy. They'll come back. I already promised they would." I said looking at her. She sighed.

"I'm going to go lay down." She stood and sighed.

"Amy." She already walked off. I'm no good in these situations. I can't help her.

I felt rain start to fall and I got to my feet. "Grace, you shouldn't-

"The swelling is down, I'm fine to walk now." I grab the binoculars and saw the two had stopped walking. "Oh god, I don't think this is going to work."

"But they're so close." Andrea said. I bit my lip and watched as they tried to continue on, quickly. It was working, but I could tell the walkers were starting to tell the difference. The two then ran. I couldn't look anymore. I slid down the wall.

"Tell me when it's over." I said quietly. T-Dog squeezed my hand in comfort. I closed my eyes and relaxed.

"They got the truck!" My eyes snapped open and I stood up. I looked and sure enough they did, but they were going the wrong way. "They're leaving us?"

"No... Rick wouldn't do that." I said shaking my head. My brother wouldn't leave me on this roof.

"Where they going? Where they going?" Morales asked as he tried to follow the truck without the binoculars.

"No, no, come back." Andrea cried as she drummed her fingertips on the wall-top.

"They wouldn't leave us." I said. "They have to have some kind of plan. My brother would never do that." None of them believed me though because none really knew my brother.

"Come on, let's go, let's go." Morales yelled as we all grabbed our stuff. They were distracting the walkers for us. I threw my bag over my shoulder and quickly headed for the door.

"Hey! You can't leave me here!" Merle yelled causing me to stop. "I'm not fooling, man! Morales! Hey man, don't do this."

"Come on." Andrea cried, but I looked at T-Dog.

"Hey, that's my gun." Merle yelled as Morales and the other girls ran off. "You can't leave me. Don't leave me here, you guys."

T-Dog stopped and looked at me. "He's still human, T-Dog." I said.

"We've gotta go!" Morales yelled.

"Morales! You can't leave me like this, man!" Merle yelled. T-Dog looked back at Merle. "Hey, T-Dog! You can't leave me, man. You can't leave me here, not like this." I could see the fear in Merle's eyes. "Grace, please You can't, guys. It's not human."

"T-Dog." I said looking at him.

"Come on, don't do this." Merle begged.

"Come on, T." Morales says.

"T-Dog, if you won't I will." I said. T-Dog looked at me.

"You go ahead. I'll be right behind you." He said to me. I nod.

"Hurry." I told him before following Morales out. I ran down the steps with the others.

"Wait a minute. Here I come!" T-Dog yelled running down for us. "Don't leave me. Don't leave." I stopped and held out a hand. He smiled and took my hand. Together we hurried after the others. We ran through the department store as the horde broke through. I held his hand tighter as the two of us ran faster. Both of us were bruised and hurting, but we didn't slow down. Not at all. "Hey, wait fore me!" He yelled and I felt tears come to my eyes as the dead came pouring in. We tried hard to get to them, but I was afraid we wouldn't make it.

Walkers came for us, knocking over racks and anything else in their way for us. We ran and smashed into the door. I let out a breath of relief as I saw they were all there in a loading bay. Andrea, Jacqui, and Morales were hanging onto the chains that operated the roll-up doors. They all seemed relieved that the two of us made it. T-Dog and I still had not let go.

"They're here! Let's go!" T-Dog yelled, thinking the same thing as me, the millions of walkers behind us. "Let's go. They're in here." Someone knocked on the doors and I sighed in relief. It couldn't be a walker, it was too controlled. "Let's go!" T-dog yelled and the group rolled up the doors. Rick was on the side, leaning out the back of a cube van. Andrea threw a bag to him, which he caught, and scrambled up. Jacqui came next and then T-Dog looked at me.

"Go, Grace. I'll be right behind you." I looked at him and smiled.

"Okay." I finally let go of his hand and scurried up, my brother pulled me up and T-Dog came next. He awkwardly threw himself in, thankfully landing on his good side. Morales came last and shoved T-Dog the rest of the way in. Rick had already started the van just as walkers poured in. He peeled out as we shut the back doors.

I gave a shaky laugh and lean against the wall as we drove off. I looked over at T-Dog as did everyone else, waiting to hear what had happened. "I dropped the damn key." T-Dog said and I could hear the heaviness in his voice, telling me that he held self-recrimination. I took his hand back in mine.

"You tried, that's all that matters." I said softly. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Where's Glenn?" Andrea asked. I looked around. Where was he?

As we drove out of Atlanta Morales spoke up. "Best not dwell on it that Merle got left behind." He said to T-Dog.

"You tried." I said softly.

"Nobody's gonna be sad he didn't come back." Morales said before frowning and hesitatingly looking over at Rick. "Except... maybe Daryl and Daryl's son Danny."

"Daryl?" I asked.

"His brother, Danny's Merle's nephew." I frowned remembering what Merle had said. "Danny, we'll have to deal with right away. He's back at camp." Morales said, worry in his voice and face.

We heard a car go by, the alarm screaming, and Glenn howling with joy, which was even louder than the alarm. I smiled.

"At least somebody's having a good day." Morales said.

We got to the camp and Rick killed the engine. The both of us were worried about the group. I knew Rick just wanted to be back to his family, but stopping here... we both didn't know what would come because of it. "Come meet everybody." Morales said as he clapped Rick and I on the back. I winced and he gave me an apologetic smiled. Everyone got out and I looked at Rick.

"Come on."

"We don't have anyone of them waiting on us, Grace." I gave a small smiled and squeezed his shoulder.

"I know, Rick, but we can't sit in here all day." He sighed, but nod. He climbed out and helped me out. He took a hold of my hand and the two of us started for the camp.

"One's a cop, like you." I heard Morales saying to someone unseen person. Maybe we knew the person. I mean what's the chances of another cop being here that we... I stopped in my tracks as I saw him. Shane Walsh. I felt as if my heart was beating out my chest. If he was here then... I looked and spotted them. Carl and Lori.

"Oh my god." Rick whispered as he let go of my hand and started over to them, clearly having seen Lori and Carl too.

"Dad! Dad! Aunt Grace!" Carl yelled as he ran full speed towards us. Rick dropped to his knees and caught Carl. Carl clung to him as if his life depended on it. I smiled as Rick kissed Carl's head. Carl let go of him and hugged me. I smiled, falling to my knees, and wrapping my arms around my nephew. "I'm so happy to see you both." I smiled and hugged him tightly. "Shane said you died trying to get to hospital." I froze as he said what he did. "Said he had no choice, but to continue. When he got to the hospital he said dad was dead, that your death was unneeded. Blames himself." I frowned.

"I'm sure he did." I said as my eyes went on Shane. He lied to Lori and Carl? Said I died. He knew damn well that I didn't die.

I stayed in the woods until nightfall. I wasn't sure if the group was back yet, but I figured I'd better head back anyways. As I stepped out of the woods I saw everyone was back, but where was my uncle. Amy's eyes landed on me. She stood up and headed over to me, getting the attention of everyone. I could see they were all whispering, but I didn't care. "You got back late." Amy said once she reached me. I frowned.

"Where's my uncle?" I asked. Who gave a damn about chit chat I needed to know where my uncle was.

"We need to talk." She grabbed my arm and lead me away from the sight of the group.

"Amy? What is it?" I asked worried.

"Merle didn't make it back." I looked at her shock.

"W-What?" I stuttered. This had to be a joke. Merle had to being messing with me. Thinking it would be funny to screw with his nephew. This... Merle couldn't be dead. "Is... Is he dead?" I asked scared to know. Amy shook her head. "What? Then where is he?" I demanded.

"Danny, look just calm down-

"Don't you dare fucken tell me to calm down, Amy." I snapped her. "Your sister is back and all well, where the fuck is my uncle!"

"He... He was left handcuff to a roof." She whispered. I felt anger consume me.

"What?" I snapped.

"He... He got out of control. Rick had to-

"Who the fuck is Rick?!" I snapped.

"He... He's Lori's husband. They thought he and his sister were dead. He showed up and handcuffed your uncle to the roof." I felt anger consume me as my fist clenched. "He had no choice, Danny, he was out-

"You try telling that to my frecken father when he gets back." I growled.

"Danny, they tried to bring him back, but T-Dog dropped the key and... it was an accident." She reached out to touched me, but I flinched away.

"Don't! Don't fucken touch and don't even think about fucken talking to me." I went to walk away, but she grabbed my arm.

"Danny, I'm sorry. It wasn't there fault. They tried-

"Don't give me that bullshit, Amy. You get to have another night with your sister, Morales gets to go home to his wife and kids. What about my dad and huh? Our uncle is handcuffed to fucken roof because of those bastards and you're telling me it wasn't there fault!" I yelled.

"Danny please-

"Just stay the fuck away from me." I growled at her before pulling roughly out of her grip and storming back into the woods. I didn't need this crap. Fricken bastards. Leaving my uncle behind. I can't till my dad comes back and fucken kills them all.


	5. Four

Amy had cried that night. Said Danny was pissed and didn't want to talk to anyone. I haven't even seen the kid, not really. But everyone seemed to bit afraid of him, not as much as Merle, but enough that they didn't go and try finding him. When morning came everyone carried on as if nothing was wrong. I found it a bit mean. I mean sure the guy was a dick, but he had a nephew who right now probably hurting and none of them even cared.

With that thought in mind I headed for the woods. "Hey! Grace! Where you heading to?" I looked back and saw Dale looking at me. His call made others look towards me.

"Going to see if I can find that Dixon kid!" I called back.

"I don't think that's-

"I honestly don't care if you think it's a good thing or not. The kid needs to talk to someone." I said before heading into the woods. It couldn't be all that hard to find him. I walk through the woods and searched for any sign on a 17 year old boy.

"Looking for me?" I turned and looked up. I saw a kid sitting in the tree. He had short brown hair and electric like blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans and a black muscle shirt along with boots.

"You, Danny?" I asked. He gave a nod. "Then, ya I'm looking for you." He moved and jumped down from the tree.

"Why?" He asked, he held aggression in his voice. I didn't blame him.

"I'm guessing Amy didn't exactly go into details what happened." I said as he leaned against the tree.

"What you have more to tell other than you and your cocksucking brother left my uncle alone on some rooftop?" He asked. He defiantly was Merle's nephew, but I could tell he didn't have the same coldness as Merle. He seemed angry, but not down right cold.

"He was shooting at the walkers down on the streets. Drawing them to us all and wasting our bullets. We told him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. T-Dog went and told him off only to be almost beaten to death, so my brother did what he had to in order to get your uncle under control. He handcuffed him to a pipe and gave T-Dog the keys when he left to get out of the city. Nobody planned on leaving him. T-Dog went to unlocked him, but he had tripped on the pipes and fell, he lost the key down a drain. It wasn't planned. He didn't mean to do it. It was an accident. He had tried to save you uncle, to get him out and bring him back, but we didn't have the time. The walkers were breaking in and trying to get us. So we had no choice, but to leave him. If we had tried to get him out then we would have just gotten all of us killed. T says your uncle is still alive. He put chain on the door so no walker could get at him. I know my brother. He's going to want to go back. My brother is selfless. He doesn't believe in killing a man, even if he is your uncle. No my brother will go back and get your uncle, so you don't exactly have to worry. It wasn't anyone's fault, but your uncle." I finished. The guy looked at me for a long moment.

"I already figured it was my own bastard of an uncle who got himself in this mess. It usually is. Either way my father ain't going to be happy, but he will do nothin' to any of you. He ain't that kind of person. He won't go killin' nobody. He will however go back for my uncle."

"Then my brother will show him where your uncle is." I said. He looked me over before nodding. "When will your father get back?" I asked.

"He's hunting. He could be back today or next week. There is no real time." He said. I nod.

"Alright then." I turned to go, but paused and looked back at the kid. "You know it wasn't Amy's fault with what happened. You shouldn't take it out on her." He gave me a look. "I'm just saying, she cares about you. I've been here less than a day and I can see that. Cried her eyes out all last night because she thought you hated her. You should talk to her." I said before walking away and heading back up to camp. As soon as I came out, Amy hurried over.

"Did you see Danny?" I nod.

"Ya, I talk to him. He cooled down." I said and started towards my brother.

"Really? He ain't made at me is he?" She asked hesitantly. I turned and looked at her.

"Ask him yourself." I said nodding to the woods. She turned just as Danny walked through. She looked at me and then back at Danny. Danny's eyes lifted and met hers.

"He won't want to see me." Amy muttered as he eyes fell. "He said last night he didn't want to talk to me no more." She turned and walked away to her sister. Danny's eyes landed on me. I just shook my head and headed for my brother. Those two are defiantly teenagers. Too much drama for me.

I leaned against the RV as I saw Danny cleaning his blades. Amy kept looking over at him, but she never went over to him. I sighed. "Amy, just go talk to him."

"He said-

"He was mad, Amy. Guys say stupid things when they're mad. Trust me I know. Go over there and talk to him. You two need to talk." I said. She looked at me before sighing.

"Fine." She started over to Danny.

"Danny." I heard her call. His eyes lifted and looked at her as she walked over to him. His eyes scanned her over. She sat across from him and started talking to him. He didn't say anything, just listened. "Mom!" I looked up as I heard Carl. "Dad! Aunt Grace!"

"Carl! Baby!" Lori cried.

"Mom!" I heard a girl yell next. Amy and every one else hurried.

"Rick!" Morales cried as he threw a shaft of a metal that was sharpened to a fine point. We ran through the woods just as Jacqui came out with Sophia and Carl.

"It's okay, I got him, I got him." Jacqui cried as she lead them over. Lori pointed the men where to go and Carl flew into his mother's arms. I moved past them and followed the guys through the trees.

I walked beside my brother and saw Danny walking behind us. Up ahead was a deer. It had an arrow hanging out of it and a walker feeding off of it. The walker dug its teeth into the deer's throat, ripping it to pieces. It's hands pulled apart muscle and tissue in it. A gasp came from behind us. I turned and saw Andrea standing there with Amy. I couldn't help, but notice Danny eyes ran over Amy's body as if to make sure she was alright.

The walker stood to its feet. The deer's flesh hanging from it's mouth and blood all over its face. I watched as Danny raised his combat bow and fired an arrow. The arrow pierced through the air and hit the walker dead center in its face. Everyone turned in shock. Danny merely walked forward and ripped the arrow out of the walker's head. "What?" He snapped at them as he slipped his arrow back in his quiver that rested on his back.

"It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain." Dale said.

"Well, they're running out of food in the city, that's what." Jim said. Danny looked down at the walker in disgust. He looked at the bolt sticking out of the deer and ripped it out of it. He looked at it as if he recognize. A branch snapped causing Danny and everyone else look that way. I watched as Shane moved forward and aimed his shot gun towards the thick foliage that fringed the edges of the clearing. Rick lifted his pole. Danny didn't lift his bow or readied it like I thought he would.

I could hear the leaves being rustled and crunched. Everyone looked tense before a man walked out. I didn't even have to guess who it was. He had the same brown hair and blue eyes as Danny. In fact Danny looked just like the man except his eyes were brighter and the man had more muscles. I knew this had to be Daryl Dixon. He was covered in dirt and sweat. He raised an eyebrow as he saw all the weapons pointed at him. He held a crossbow in one hand a string of dead squirrels. "Oh, Jesus." Shane muttered.

"Son of a bitch" The man said as he walked towards us. Danny held the bolt, the one that he had pulled out of the deer, to his father. I could see there was bolts just like it on his crossbow.

"Here's your arrow, dad." Danny said. Daryl looked at Danny before nodding and taking the bolt back.

"Thant's my deer!" Daryl snapped as he walked over to the corpse. I noticed that everyone had moved back, all of them scared of him. I didn't find him scary at all. Sure he was rough and rough looking, but he... he was kind of hot. "Look at it all gnawed on by this filthy-" He kicked the dead walker. "Disease-bearing" He kicked it again. "Motherless" Another kick. "Poxy bastard." I saw Danny roll his eyes, as if used to his father's temper.

"Calm down, son. That's not helping." Dale spook up.

"What do you about it, old man?" Daryl walked up to Dale. Shane pressed the butt of his gun against Daryl's chest. "Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back down to On Golden Pond?" He went on to say, completely ignoring Shane.

"Dad." Danny said in a warning tone. Daryl looked over at his son, Danny raised an eyebrow. Daryl stepped back and headed over to the deer again.

"I've been tracking the deer for miles." Daryl said as he bent down and looked at the deer. "Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up venison." I frowned. He wasn't like Merle. Merle would never hunt for any of these people, but obviously Daryl has. I'm surprised he would waste time helping all these people and not just hunt for himself and his family. I watched Daryl moved over to the head of the deer. He bent over, his muscles bulging from the position, sweat dripping down his face and under his shirt. I licked my suddenly dry lips. "What do you think? You think we can cut around the chewed-up part right here?" He asked. Danny grimaced.

"I don't think that would be too smart." Danny commented.

"Man, I would not risk that." Shane added.

"That's a damn shame." Daryl said surprising me. I figured he'd get all angry like he did with Dale, but it seemed he didn't. Daryl straightened up and took one final look at the wasted deer. He tugged at the string of dead squirrels hanging from his shoulder. "Well, I got some squirrel, about a dozen or so. That'll have to do." He said before walking past them and heading up to his camp. "Come on, Danny." He said as he past his son. Danny started after him looking nervous.

"Merle," Daryl called as we caught up to him. "Merle. Get you ugly ass out here. I got us some squirrel. Let's stew 'em up."

"Dad wait." Danny said trying to keep up to his father. Was Danny really going to tell his father first?

"Daryl, just slow up a bit. I need to talk to you." Shane said. Daryl had stopped when Danny had told him to and know he was looking from Danny to Shane.

"About what?" He asked.

"About Merle. There was a... there was a problem in Atlanta." Daryl eyes fell on Danny, who wasn't looking at his father, but at the ground. Daryl eyes moved around to the rest of the group. I could see he became more wary.

"He dead?" Daryl asked.

"We're not sure." Shane answered quietly and I could Danny glaring his way.

"He either is or he ain't." Daryl snapped angrily. His eyes going from Shane to Danny as if hoping Danny would tell him.

"He-" Danny started, but Rick cut him off.

"No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it." Rick said. I saw Danny shoot Rick a warning look.

"Who are you?" Daryl asked.

"Rick Grimes."

"Rick Grimes?" Daryl spat. "You got something you want to tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal." Danny eyes landed on me, as if thankful I had told him the truth. I saw T-Dog coming into camp with chopped wood. "He's still there." Rick added.

Daryl turned away, a hand swiping across his face. "Hold on, let me process this." He said angrily as he started pacing, short, aggressive bursts of movement, then he turned back to Rick.

"Dad," Danny said, but his father held a hand up and cut him off.

"You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and you left him there?" His voice rose to a shout and Danny looked at his father worried.

"Dad hear them out." Danny whispered quietly to his father.

"Yeah." Rick answered Rick. That was all it took. Daryl lunged at Rick, dropping his squirrels.

"Dad!" Danny snapped, but his father wasn't listening. Shane slammed into Daryl before he could attack Rick.

"Hey! Watch the knife!" Danny ran his fingers through his hair in annoyance and I could tell he didn't want this. Daryl tried and slashed at Rick. Rick easily sidestepped him and grabbed Daryl's wrist and forced it down against his back. Shane came forward and put Daryl in a chokehold. I could see Danny was getting upset.

"Knock it off!" Danny yelled. "Let go of my father!" He growled, but Morales held him back. "Let go of me!" Danny growled as he struggled against the man. He managaed to get free, but T-Dog grabbed him. It was all a mess.

"You best let me go and my boy." Daryl snarled.

"Nah, I think it's better if we don't." Shane said, sounding completely unruffled with Daryl wrestling to get free.

"Chokehold's illegal!"

"Yeah, you can file a complaint." Shane said in a neutral tone. I sighed and headed over to Danny.

"T-Dog let him go." I whispered. T-Dog gave me a shocked look. "He won't do anything." I said as I looked over at Danny. "Right?" Danny glared, but nod. T-Dog let him go. "We're going to talk." I said pulling him away from his father.

"My fat-

"Will be fine, Rick on't let Shane hurt him too bad." I said as I lead him away. "Look Danny, your dad will be fine, but you have to cool down. My brother has already been talking about going back, with your father and you planning on going, then he will go too." I said to him gently. "But getting all upset won't help anyone. Your dad will be fine and so will your uncle, now relax." He gave a sigh. "You good now?" I asked. Danny closed his eyes and nod. "Then we can go back up there. Come on." I touched Danny's arm gently. He pulled away and started up the hill. I sighed and followed him.

Daryl started down the hill and saw Danny. "I'll let you get ready to go then Danny." I said. Danny gave a small nod to me and I gave him a small smile and walked past Daryl. Daryl looked at me, but I merely looked ahead.


	6. Five

I sat beside my father, where he sharpened his bolts and me my arrows. I heard soft footsteps walking over, causing me to look over. Amy walked over and smiled softly. "Hey Danny." She said in a soft voice.

"Hey." I said before looking back at my arrow. I could see my dad was glancing at me from the corner of his eyes, but I ignored it. Amy came and sat beside me, our sides brushing.

"What are you doing?" She asked me as she watched my hands work.

"Sharpening my arrows." I mumbled as I focused on working. Amy looked down at my hands. She watched as I worked, while my father watched us, while he worked.

"You two ready to go?" Grace asked, stopping in front of us.

"Danny ain't going." My dad surprising me. I looked up at him. "But ya, I'm ready." She nod, gave me a sympathetic look, and walked away.

"Why ain't I going. He's my uncle I-

"Ya, and I don't want you gettin' yourself killed." My dad said and I glared his way.

"Ya because I would just be stupid and get myself killed."

"Danny-" My father started, but I just got up and walked away. My father doesn't even think I can handle Atlanta. He doesn't think I can take care of myself. Of course he doesn't, he think I'm just some stupid kid.

I watched Danny walk away and frown. I don't know why I keep feeling like I should look out for the kid, but I just... it's strange. I feel like some mother hen for him and I can't even help it. I saw Daryl looked frustrated. He went to get up, but I found my legs already heading to Danny. I walked over, ignoring the look I got from Daryl and lean against a tree just across from Danny. "Your dad won't let you go?" I asked. Danny looked over at me.

"What does it matter to you?" He snapped.

"He's just looking out for you Danny."

"No, he's not. He thinks I'm just some stupid kid." I sighed and pushed off the tree.

"Danny, he doesn't think you're just some stupid kid. Your his son and he just lost his uncle, he doesn't want to loose you. He cares about you and wants you to be okay. He wants you to stay safe and alive." I said, gently resting a hand on his arm, this time he didn't flinch away. "Just give your dad a chance, Danny. He's trying. You think him letting you stay with these people make him happy. I think he would rather have you with him, but he would much rather know you're safe. It's no secret it's safer here than out there." I said. He glanced at me.

"Are you going?" I nod.

"Ya, I'm going." I said with a small smile. Danny glanced over at his father before looking at him. I could see his father watching us, but I ignored it as Danny spoke.

"Can you keep an eye on him. Sometimes his temper gets the better of him. I don't want him getting hurt." I laughed. "What?"

"Your father is worried about you getting killed and you're worrying about your father loosing his temper and getting hurt?" Danny smiled.

"We look after each other, that's what family is about. So will ya?" I nod.

"Ya, I'll make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble." Danny gave a small smile.

"Thanks, Grace." I nod.

"Sure think kiddo. So... you going to talk to your dad or am I going to have drag your ass over there?" Danny laughed.

"I'm sure you would." I smiled.

"Yes I would, so answer?" He rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry I'll talk to him." I nod.

"Good." I smiled at him. "Then I'm heading over there." I said before walking away and over to Daryl and Amy, who had stayed. Daryl eyed me over, but I ignored him as I sat down.

"You good to go?" I look over and saw Rick standing there.

"Ya." I said with a nod. He nod back. "Good."

"Could you just tell me why?" Shane said walking over to us. I rolled my eyes, causing Danny to smile "Why would you risk your life for a dochebag like Merle Dixon." I looked at Shane annoyed.

"Hey, choose your words carefully." Daryl warned as he pointed a bolt at Shane/

"Oh no, I did. Douchbag's what I meant." Shane told him.

"You guys left him on a roof." Amy said making everyone look at her. "He might not have been the best person, but he was still human. That ain't no way to die." Amy said.

"Merle Dixon," Shane threw a disgusted look at Daryl, causing me to give Shane a look. "The guy wouldn't give you a glass if you were dying of thirst."

"You're not even going with us Shane, why do you even care what we do." I said annoyed. "All you gonna do is complain. The people going are willing. It's our choice to go, not yours. So get over yourself and grow up." I said walking away from them and leaving everyone speechless. My patients is long gone with that douche. He thinks Merle's bad? Then he obviously hasn't met himself. Lying to a family about me being dead? What the hell was he even thinking."

I watched the woman walk away in surprise. "Has a temper." Danny said beside me with a shake of a head.

"So you, Grace, and Daryl?" The bitch asked. "That's your big plan?" Rick turned and looked at Glenn who looked at Rick confused before groaning a little bit after.

"Oh, come on."

"You know the way. You've been there before- in and out, no problem, you said so yourself." Rick went on to say. I glanced over and saw Glenn take his hat off, run a hand through his short black hair, and then put the hat back on. He wasn't refusing, but he sure as hell didn't look happy. I didn't care either way. This was my brother and there was no way in hell I would leave him up there. "It's not fair for me to ask, I know that, but I'd feel a lot better with you along." Rick gestured to Lori. "I know she would too."

"That's just great." Shane said causing me to roll my eyes. "Now you're gonna risk four men, huh?"

"Five." I turned and saw T-Dog walk over.

I huffed. "My dad just gets better and better, don't it?" Danny gave me a look causing me to soften. He always managed to do that.

"You see anybody else stepping up to save your brother's cracker ass?" T-Dog asked. I looked away from his and went back to my bolts.

"Why you?"

"You wouldn't even begin to understand. You don't speak my language."

"That's five." Dale said from behind Rick.

"It's not just five," Shane snapped out. "You're putting every single one of us at risk- just know that, Rick." He stabbed a finger at Rick. "Come on, Rick, you saw that walker. It was here- it was in camp. They're moving out of the cities. They come back, we need every able body we got. We need 'em here. We need 'em to protect camp."

"Sees to me what you really need most here" Rick paused and stared at Shane. "Are more guns."

"Right, the guns." Glenn said. I glanced over.

"Wait, what guns?" Shane asked as he looked over at Rick, obviously confused.

"Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns." Rick said giving a list. "I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed-it's just sitting there on the streets, waiting to be picked up."

"Ammo?"

"Seven hundred rounds, assorted." I looked back down at my bolts. They were arguing over and over to save my brother, but none of them really had a choice.

"You went through hell to find us. You just got here and you're gonna turn around and leave?" The bitch asked.

"Dad, I don't want you to go." I blocked them out, knowing it didn't concern me. I stood up and headed for the cube van that we would be taking with us. I climbed in the back, but turned and looked at Danny.

"You stay out of trouble, you hear." I said and Danny nod.

"Same goes for you. Don't loose your temper out there, it won't help none." I nod at him and walked in and sat down. Across from me sat Grace.

"Why you coming?" I asked. Grace looked up. Her silk brown hair falling into her eyes. She pushed it back and looked at me, her deep green eyes looking right into me.

"I'm not the type of person that believes in leaving a man to die. Your brother isn't a good person, but he is still a person. If we did leave him there, he'd die of hunger and thirst, then into one of those things. That's worst than being torn by those things." I frowned. "That ain't who I am." She said before looking back down, her hair falling into her face once more. I itched to move it from her face, letting me see those green eyes again, but I knew it wouldn't be wise if I did.

I lean back with a frown. "Why you keep talking to my son?" I asked. It was something that had been bugging me since I saw her pull my son away from us, when we were fighting early, in order to talk to him. I didn't understand.

"I'm normally good at reading people. Danny's a good kid, he just got a temper. I figured it was a Dixon trait." She said with a small smile my way. My insides churn at that smile. "I talked to him earlier because I figured he could use someone to talk to. Not people like you Dixons, and I figured not many talk to any of you. Danny looked upset, so I thought I'd take it upon myself to see if I could help." She said with a shrug.

"Where your brother?" I asked.

"He said he was going to talk to Dale before heading out." She said with a shrug. He was taking forever. I stood up and started pacing. "Will you relax. He'll be here in a minute." I glared at her.

"Ya and every minute we waste my brother is up on that roof suffering." She sighed.

"Ya, but pacing ain't gonna speed them up. So just sit down, you're making me dizzy." I glared at her, but she just smiled. I frowned down at her. This girl was rather confusing. Normal people did not smile when some glared at them.

"What you smiling at?" I snapped. She laughed.

"That fact you think you can intimidate anyone." She said crossing her arms. "Now as I was saying, sit down." I glared at her again before returning to pacing. "Or just don't listen." She grumbled. "Okay seriously, stop pacing. It is really really annoy-" I cut her off as I hit the horn with my foot, almost hitting the chinaman.

"Come on, let's go!" I yelled.

"Okay, you sit, now." The girl said as she pulled me back and pushed me back in the seat. I gave her a shocked look. "Get up again and I will shoot you." She sat back down and crossed her arms. "Guys and their impatience." She grumbled.

T-Dog walked on and sat down by the girl. "Loosing your temper, Grace?" He asked with a smile. The girl smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." She said as she nudged him. Rick got in the van and started driving away from camp.

"He'd better be okay. It's my only word in the matter." I said, causing the two to look my way.

"I told you, the geeks can't get at him. Only thing that's gonna get through that door is us." T-Dog said.

"Relax will ya. Honestly you're giving me a headache." Grace said looking at me. "T said he chained the door than he did. You don't have to worry." This time she said in a more gentler tone causing me to shift awkwardly. This girl seemed to make me feel strange. I didn't like it.

"We walk from here." Glenn said once we stopped, just outside the city. I stood up, readying myself to what was to come.

I sat on some rocks by the water. I could see Shane trying to catch frogs with Carl. I could tell Carl was having a good time, but I didn't trust Shane. Never have trusted him. I mean the woman he has been fucking just got her husband back. That gotta make some problems. "I'm beginning to question the division of labor here." I heard Jacqui say as her and Andrea headed down to the water with baskets of laundry. Carol and Amy had been down here for awhile before and they sat on plastic crates that were upturned and both were barefooted.

"They're coming, little man!" I heard Shane yell, causing me to roll my eyes. "Get that net in there and get 'em. What have you got, bad boy? What do you got? What do you got?"

"Dirt." Carl said once he lifted his net out of the water.

"Oh boy," Shane said. "Alright, we've got to start over. Come on, let's find this bucket."

"They might catch something if they weren't making so much noise." I said as I sharpened my hunting knife. Amy look back at me and smiled.

"At least they're having fun, Danny. You should try it some time." She said.

"Can someone explain to me how the women wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel Work?" Jacqui asked causing me to snort.

"The world ended. Didn't you get the memo?" Amy asked turning her eyes on the woman.

"It's just the way it is." Carol murmured.

"Some people do more than others around here." I said making them look at me. "You woman more than any of us." I said and that got me small smile from the woman.

"Maybe, but you are not like them, Danny." Jacqui said. I glanced over at her before looking back at Shane and Carl.

"All how you grow up." I murmured.

I followed after my brother as he followed Glenn. Glenn was leading the group beneath the underpass that cut through the air that was not far from the tracks where we parked the van. Glenn wanted to go this way because he said it was fastest and safest, but this way was blocked by a chain-link fence. Glenn saw this and pointed out a section that look to have been torn or cut at some point in the past. We needed someone to hold it open in order for us all to fit through.

"Merle first or guns?" Rick asked as he paused on the other side of the fence and faced us.

"Merle! We ain't even having this conversation." Daryl snapped.

"We are," Rick snapped right back. I knew it was hard on Rick. He needed to get both, but he also needed to go for closest at the moment. He looked over at Glenn as I gently touched Daryl. Daryl flinched and look down at me coldly.

"You need to relax. We will get Merle back okay." I said softly. His blue eyes stared into my green ones for a long time, unable to look away.

"You know the geography. It's your call." Rick said snapping Daryl and I out of the trance.

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first." Glenn said without any hesitation.

I glanced over at Daryl and saw him relax. "Just try not to loose your temper. I don't need your son getting mad at me for not doing my job." I teased earning a look from Daryl. "Come on, Daryl, let's get going." I said with a smile.

I was to be down by the rivers with the girls in case anything happens, not that anything ever has before, but it was still the fact that something could happen. The sun was beating down on all of us. I had dark jeans on that was practically burning my skin, and a dark green muscle shirt that wasn't all that cool either, then of course I had my boots on that were hot. On my bag was my bow and quiver too, which didn't help matters. "I do miss my Maytag." Carol said as she scrunched up a t-shirt and rubbed it up and down on the makeshift washboard.

"I miss my Benz, my Sat Nav." Andrea said.

"I miss my coffeemaker, with that dual-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey." I laughed as Jacqui said that as she wrung out a shirt.

"My computer... texting." I snorted as Amy said that. "Shut up." Amy laughed and threw a shirt on me. I caught it and tossed it back. Everyone laughed at our little spat. "Fine what do you miss redneck?" She asked. I looked over at her.

"Nothing." I said and everyone looked at me surprised. "My family, as you can imagine, were the trailer trash type, didn't have much." I said shrugging. "We lived off hunting, which hasn't changed. Everything I grew up and could miss, I still have." Everyone fell silent as I said that.

"I miss my vibrator." Andrea said breaking the silence.

"Oh." I chuckled as Jacqui said that.

"Oh my god!" Amy gaped at her sister, which only made me laugh more.

"You're so innocent." I said causing them to raise an eyebrow at me. "I lived with Merle." I said as if that excused anything and it did. Everyone laughed.

"Me too." Carol confessed after making sure Ed didn't hear. Every where she goes he goes. He is defiantly a scumbag. Beats and rapes his wife, everyone knows, but of course no ones doesn't anything in this camp and my family don't want no trouble. Still it must not be easy with having him in your life.

The woman all laughed as Carol said it, even I laughed. That is when Ed started coming towards us. "What's so funny." I sighed. This is why I need to be here at times. I jumped down from my rocks and put my knife away... for now.

"Just swapping war stories, Ed." Andrea said. The mood went down and everyone got back to work. Ed stayed however and watched them work as if was the warden and they were his prisoners. "Problem, Ed?" Andrea asked, half turning to look up at him.

"None that concerns you." He said and I shook my head. Time to tell him to scram off.

"Ed, they don't need you down here. Why not just go back up." I said.

"And you oughta focus on your work." Ed said, ignoring me and looming over Carol. "This ain't no comedy club." He said.

"Ed, just go will ya. This ain't any of your concern." I said as I tightened my grip on my bow.

"And who are you tell me what to do, kid. You're nothing, but trailer trash." He said, but I kept my temper back.

"Ed, I'm only telling you once more. Head back up to the camp."

I walked into the department store with my brother. It was eerily quiet and empty. The walkers were long gone. The room was a mess. There was scattered glass every where, from when the sets of doors broke. The mannequins were all knocked over and the clothes were trampled into heaps. I paused in my searching of the room to see movement in the corner of my eye. Rick saw to and held a hand up to stop people from continuing. I watched as a walker shuffled up ahead. It was partially hidden from view by a still-standing mannequin. I reached for my machete, but Rick shook his head at me looked at Daryl. Daryl moved head of us, as quiet as a panther as he creep up to it.

"Damn." Daryl said, not bothering to be all quiet. "You are one ugly skank." He said causing me to roll my eyes. I found it stupid that he got to kill and not me. It was only one. Daryl moved and retrieve his bolt. I rolled my eyes and started on.

I could tell Andrea and Ed both were getting pissed. "How about you just go back to fucking miss blondie." That seemed to have done it for Andrea.

"Ed, tell you what, you don't like how your laundry is done, you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself." Amy looked at me worried. Seeing both my anger and Andrea. "Here." Andrea said tossing a wet shirt at him.

"Ain't my job, missy." Ed sneered as he threw the shirt back at Andrea with much more forced than he should have.

"Andrea, don't" Amy cried.

"What is your job, Ed? Andrea asked as she took a step towards him. "Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?"

"It sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch. Tell you what?" He blew out a breath of smoke. He threw a nasty glare to Carol. "Come on, let's go." He said raising his eyebrow.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed." Andrea said. Andrea needed to stay out of their marriage. It wasn't really any of her business.

"And I say it's none of your business." Ed shot back. "Come on now, you heard me."

"Carol." Andrea said softly as she put a hand on Carol's shoulder.

"Andrea, please, it doesn't matter." Carol whispered.

"Hey!" Ed grabbed Andre'a elbow and turned her to face him. "Don't think I won't knock you on your ass just 'cause you some college-educated cooze, alright?" I grabbed Ed's arm and bent it back.

"Ed, if I were you I would walk away now." I hissed in a dangerous tone. If there was anything my dad taught me it was you never lay a hand on a woman or child.

"And what you gonna do about it?" He asked. I bent his arm more and there was a loud crack.

"Ed, I'm warning you, go back up there before I break your whole arm." I growled. Everyone stared at me surprised. I normally stayed out of things, but I'm not one to hurting woman.

"Fuck you!" Ed growled and pushed me back. I didn't expect it, which led to me hitting my head.

"Danny!" Amy squeaked.

"Now you come on now or you gonna regret it later."

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui asked. That was when Ed started laughing.

"Stay out of this. Now come on!" Andrea stood in the way as I got to my feet. "You know what, this ain't none of y'all's business. You don't wanna keep prodding the bull here, okay? Now I am done talking." He looked at Carol. "Come on." He grabbed Carol's arm.

"No, no, Carol, you don't have-" Andrea said trying to stop Carol from getting hurt.

"You don't tell me what," Ed roared. "I tell you what." That was when he slapped Carol hard across the face and my will power broke. Before I could do anything, Andrea started hitting Ed's chest. He tried to grab Carol, but Jacqui prevented him to. Amy pulled Carol away and this only made Ed more angry. I moved forward and punched Ed so hard in the face that his nose breaking sounded as loud as glass breaking on metal. I was just going to leave it at that, but then Shane came over, which was not something I had planned.

Shane grabbed Ed from the ground. "Get off me. Get off me!"

"Shane you ain't gotta-" But I stopped talking as he started punching Ed in the face over and over again, scaring everyone. "Shane I said stop!" I yelled at him, but he didn't. I tried pulling him off as Carol started crying. Shane punched me hard in the face, causing me to fall back. He went right back to hitting Ed. I tasted the blood from my cut lip, slipping into my mouth.

"Danny, you okay." I spat the blood out as Amy knelt beside me.

"Fine." I grumbled.

"Shane, stop, just stop!" Andrea yelled.

"Stop it. Stop." Carol sobbed. I got to my feet and pull Shane off.

"Shane knock it off! You've done enough!" I yelled, as I pushed him back. "You're gonna kill him if you keep up." I said keeping him back, but Shane didn't want to stop. He shoved me back and pulled Ed up by his shirtfront.

"You put you hands on your wife, your little girl, or anyone else in this camp one more time, I will not stop next time." He said as he grabbed Ed's swollen face. "Do you hear me? Do you _hear_ me?"

"Shane that's enough." I snapped trying to break this up.

"I'll say when it's enough, back off Dixon." Shane snapped. "Do you hear me!" He yelled at Ed.

"Yes." Ed slurred through the blood he had in his mouth.

"I'll beat you to death, Ed." Shane snarled. He hit Ed again and I went to stop him, but Amy put a hand on my chest,

"Stop, Danny. I don't want you getting hurt no more." She whispered. I saw tears rolling down her face, so I gave in. I stopped. Shane kicked Ed in the ribs before final stepping back.

"Ed, I'm sorry." Carol sobbed as Andrea let Carol run to him. "Ed, I'm sorry." He knelt beside him, holding his bloody face in her arms. Shane shook his head at Carol, ran his hand through his hair, and stormed off. My eyes went back to Amy.

"Let's get you cleaned up." She whispered as she dragged me away from the group and further down the waterline. She sat me down on the ground and got a rag. "You shouldn't have gotten involved, Danny."

"Isn't that supposed to be-

"I don't care, Danny. You could have gotten killed. I... I can't loose you." She looked up at me and I felt my heart constrict and my body tense. "I just can't." She whispered as she ran her fingers gently through my hair. She turned away and wet the rag. She turned back to face me and pressed it to my lip. I hissed in pain. "I'm sorry, I need to stop the bleeding and clean it." She whispered as she gently, as gently as she could with my deeply cut lip, and rubbed it, trying to clean the blood up. "How's your head. You hit it when Ed pushed you, right?"

"Not that bad. Just hit it on a rock, that's all." To my surprise Amy laughed.

"You're such an idiot some times Danny." She said laughing, but her laughter became more like crying. "You think everything's a joke. It's gonna get you killed and the worst part is I don't even care or take that fact seriously." She said as she wiped her eyes. I sighed.

"Amy, I take it seriously. I'm fine really." She looked at me. Her pale blue eyes meeting my bright ones. "You gotta stop worrying about me."

"Who will if I won't." She said. I laughed.

"Trust me the second my dad sees my lip he's gonna kill Shane and Ed." I said. Amy gave a small smile.

"Does it hurt?"

"Throbs mostly."

"The bleeding stopped." She whispered. It was then I noticed how close we actually were together. "I could make you forget the throbbing if you want." Her lips brushed mine causing a shiver to run down my spine. "I won't if you don't want though." She whispered. My eyes met her before I pressed my lips against hers. Her arms wrapped around my neck as one of my hand slipped into her hair and the other on her hip. She pressed on my chest, causing my back to hit the sand. She followed with me, practically on top of me, as she deepened the kiss. I groan as she started sucking on my bottom and sore lip.

"Amy! Where did you go off to?" Amy groan as she pulled away from me.

"Can't even be away from me for five minutes." She complained. "Like annoying mother." I smiled and pulled her head down, kissing her once more. "Danny I gotta-" She tried to say.

"Who cares. She can wait." I whispered as I kissed down her neck.

"Danny." Amy moaned.

"Amy! Let's go! Where are you!" Amy whimpered.

"I have to go, Danny. Andrea will worry." Amy said as she pulled away. "Your lips bleeding again." Amy said before giving a sigh. "Here keep this against it." She pressed the wet rag onto my lip. "We'll... we'll talk later." She promised. I forced a smile, even though my bleeding lip made it hurt.

"Ya, we will." She blushed before going after her sister. I groan and fell back on the ground.

What did I just get myself into?


	7. Six

I followed everyone up the stairs, making sure we weren't follow by unwanted people or walkers. We hadn't seen a single walker since the one Daryl killed and it seems like a good thing, but I just had this bad feeling about this. Going after Merle is dangerous, but I can't help but feel like that isn't what is scaring me. It' something else. I feel something bad was going to happen because of this trip and that's what is scaring me. "You okay?" I looked over and saw Daryl looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine... just making sure nothing sneaks up on us." I lied.

"That isn't what's worrying you." Daryl noted.

"No it's not." I looked around before heading up the steps. "Come on, we gotta better things to do." I said before walking the rest of the stairs and up to everyone else. T-Dog was just cutting the padlock and pulling the chain free as Daryl and I reached them. Daryl shoved T-Dog out of the way. He kicked the door the rest of the way open and started screaming his brother. "No! No!" I suddenly heard Daryl yelling. His voice filled with grief, causing it to be hoarse and rough. I could hear all the rough emotions from his yells. Feel his pain.

I shock my head clear before hurrying onto the roof. What I say made me stop right in my tracks. It was as if in slow motion. Daryl swung his crossbow at T-Dog, ready to fire, blaming it all on him. Rick aimed the gun at Daryl. I could Daryl shaking and I knew he was just hurting. "Enough both of you." I snapped. I stormed over to them. "It wasn't T-Dog's fault and Rick put the goddamn gun down, Daryl your crossbow too." I said. Both looked unsure. "Now!" I yelled. Daryl glared at me, but put it down. Daryl sighed and looked back at T-Dog.

"You got a do-rag or something?" T-Dog handed a blue rag to Daryl silently. I frown and watched as Daryl rested his crossbow against a pipe and headed over to the severed hand. Daryl put the hand in the rag and looked at it. He gave a loud sigh. "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs." He said. "Ain't that a bitch."

He stood and looked around before beckoning to Glenn. I almost could have laughed at how pale he was. Daryl moved behind Glenn and put the hand in his backpack. "Glenn is going to complain about that later." I whispered to T-Dog causing him to give a silent laugh.

"He must have used a tourniquet-maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't."

"Then he's probably alive." I said.

"Mmm." Daryl agreed as he picked his crossbow up and started long the rooftop. I followed him as he followed a trail of blood droplets. The trail lead across the roof and right to a second access stairwell. The door was wide open and the trail led right inside. I didn't have a good feeling about this. I glanced at Daryl. He was determined to find his brother and I knew he wouldn't listen, but still. I had a bad feeling.

"Be careful." I said so only he could hear me. He glanced over at me. "I have a bad feeling about this, so just be careful." He nod as he started down the stairs.

"Merle, you in here?" He called as he went down the stairs. As we went down the stairs there was a walker waiting there. I moved forward, machete in hand, and cut the head in two, going along sideways, causing the top of head to fall right off. I slid the machete back in it's holder. I turned to see everyone staring at me shocked.

"Are we going or what?" I asked. Daryl snorted and started walking through the office that we had entered.

"Show off." He muttered to me as he walked by. I smiled and walked beside him.

"Hypocrite." He glanced at me and I saw a small smile on his lips. I found it an improvement. The smile made him seem softer, more handsome. It lit his whole face up, just that small smile.

We came out of the office and entered a white walled corridor. Papers were spread all across the carpet and every single door hung open. I didn't see anymore walkers as I followed Daryl as we neared the corridor. Rick walked behind us with Glenn and T-Dog behind him. We passed through another open door and into another office. I frown as I saw a dead walker laying close to the doorway and another only a few meters away. The two walkers were killed very messy, with blood soaking the carpet in pools around their beaten heads. A crescent wrench only a few feet from one.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches." Daryl said as he sidestepped them. "One handed." He reloaded his crossbow before going on to say, "Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails." I bit back a smile and looked ahead.

"Any man can pass out from blood loss." Rick said as he met Daryl's gaze. "No matter how tough he is." Daryl didn't respond back. Rick walked passed us and through the office, stepping over the pool of blood left behind by Merle. Daryl looked at me before standing and following Rick. I met his pass.

"He just doesn't want you to be disappointed." I whispered softly.

"I know."

I walked out of my tent to see Andrea and Amy were back. They had a big haul of fish causing me to smile at how proud they were. Morales walk over to them with a face filled with excitement. "Oh, baby, will you look at that?" He call back to his wife. "Hey, check it out." He laughed. Andrea handed off a fish to him with a proud smile. "Ladies, because of you, my children will eat tonight. Thank you." Morales said as Lori gave a soft applause.

"Thank Dale. It's his canoe and gear." Andrea said. Jacqui walked up to them and held her hand up for a high five. Andrea obliged and Carl smiled.

"Mom, look." He cried. "Look at all the fish." Morales swung the fish towards Lori, almost hitting her arm, which made her edge away.

"Thank you."

"Whoa." Carl said as he remained staring at the fish as if he never even seen a fish before.

"Yeah, whoa." Lori smiled as she watched Carl reach out and prod the fish. "Where did you two learn to do that?"

"Our dad." Amy answered Lori as she took a gulp from her water bottle.

"Dad's tend to teach a lot." I said quietly, but they heard. Amy smiled.

"Ya, they do." Amy agreed.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Carl asked.

"Sure." Amy's voice was bright and cheerful, making me smile. I liked seeing her so happy. This world can really tear people down and I hated how it was starting to on her. "I'll teach you all about nail knots and stuff." Amy said as she looked at Lori. "If that's okay."

"You won't catch me arguing." She said as he eyed the fish.

"Hey, Dale." I looked over as Andrea said that to see Dale walking over. "When's the last time you oiled those line reels? They are a disgrace." I rolled my eyes. Always has to complain.

"I, uh, I don't want to alarm anyone but... we may have a bit of a problem." Dale said ignoring everyone and looking around at us all. He turned in the direction he had just came from and pointed. I look up and was able to see Jim through thick vegetation. He appeared to be digging. It was strange. Why would anyone dig in this heat? It was so hot I had no shirt on and was in just my jeans. i didn't even have my boots or socks on.

Everyone started up to Jim as Amy laid the fish down somewhere safe. I gave a sigh before going into my tent. "You coming, Danny?" I heard Amy's voice call.

"Ya, just getting a shirt." I called back. I picked up a navy blue muscle shirt and some socks.

"I rather like you without one." I heard her mutter under her breath. I snorted.

"You do know I can hear you without you yelling." I said as I stepped out with my boots back on.

"You... You heard that?" She turned as red as a tomato causing me to laugh.

"Ya, Amy, I heard ya." I pulled my shirt over my head. "Come on." I said once my shirt was over my head. I picked my bow and quiver up and put it over my head.

"I'm worried about Jim." Amy said as she laced her hand with mine.

"He'll be fine. Let's go check it out."

"Merle!" Daryl called as the blood droplets stood out more, and was in more places. He seemed to be bleeding more heavily.

"We're not alone here, remember?" Rick said quickly and quietly.

"Screw that. He could be bleeding out- you said so yourself." I gave him a comforting smile before he moved further into the kitchen. I walked behind him and saw someone had lit several sterno cans, with one still burning, flickering of blue-cored flames. I made a face as I saw a bloodied belt laying on a cooktop with an iron steak weight beside it, it was crusted with something burnt and bloody.

"What's the burned stuff?" Glenn asked noticing my pale face.

"Skin." I said quietly.

"He cauterized the stump." Rick added. Glenn looked as bad as I did. It made me sick that he did that.

"Told you he was tough." Daryl said with a proud smile. "Nobody can kill Merle, but Merle."

"Don't take that on faith." Rick said as he eyed the blood that coated the kitchen. "He lost a lot of blood."

"Yeah?" Daryl asked as he started investigating the rest of the room. "Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." I walked over to Daryl and saw a large window, set into the left wall, had one of the panes smashed. This left a rather large hole, large enough for him to get through.

"He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn asked.

"Why wouldn't he?" I frowned as Daryl said this. "He's out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he gotta do. Surviving." He was blaming us. I felt guilty. It was our faults. It was and nothing is going to change that.

"You call that surviving?" T-Dog asked as he gestured to the window. "Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?"

"Not much." I said. Guilt pressing down on me.

"No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." This only made me feel worst. I turned and walked away without a word. I stood by the stairs with my arms tightly around myself. We shouldn't have left them there. We should have tried to get him out. I know there wasn't much time, but we should have done it as soon as we started to go off. We shouldn't have waited. He may have been still with us if we had. "You okay?" Daryl's gruff voice said from behind me. I jumped, quickly wiped my eyes, and turned around.

"Fine. What's the plan?" I asked as Rick walked up.

"We're getting the guns and then going to look for Merle on our way to the van." I nod as Rick answered me.

"Okay, let's go." I walked up the steps with them following close behind. I needed to get this guilt off me. We'll find Merle and I won't have to feel guilty anymore... I hope.


	8. Seven

AN: So The part with getting the guns and the part with Jim digging the graves are all the same, so I'm skipping to the night at the fire. So here it is.

* * *

Danny walked out of the woods and saw the group by the fire. He searched the group, but everyone who had left for Atlanta still hadn't come back. He saw the remaining group cooking some sort of food and all sitting together like a family, but Danny wasn't in the mood for family. He just wants to go to bed and wait until his father gets back. Danny went to go to his tent when he heard Amy call out. "Danny! You going to come join us?" He turned and saw the entire group watching him, waiting to her what he decided.

"Come and join us, son. These girls worked hard today to bring us fish. Hate to see it go to waste." Dale told him as Amy looked at Danny pleadingly. Danny sighed, knowing he couldn't just go and do what he wanted, he started over. He still had his bow on him with his arrows, but for some reason he felt he would need them. Amy moved over some to allow him to sit beside her. He pulled his quiver strap over his head and rested the quiver by his feet, once he sat down, along with his bow.

"The girls did pretty good." Jim told Danny as he grabbed some fish for himself. Soon everyone had plates filled with fish and Amy sat close by Danny as they ate.

"Man, oh man, that's good. I missed this." Danny looked over at Shane as he spoke. He didn't like Shane and right now he hated him more. The way Shane looked at Danny in that moment said more than any words could. Shane was hoping Daryl didn't come back with his brother and that Danny would leave too.

"I gotta ask you, man." Morales said as he looked at Dale and pulled Danny's attention away from the ex-cop. "It's been driving me crazy."

"What?" Dale smiled at Morales as the fire cast shadows on his aging face. Danny glanced over at Morales, waiting to hear what he would ask.

"The watch." It was a simply sentence that held much meaning to it. Dale looked down at the watch as Danny looked at Morales.

"What's wrong with my watch?" Dale asked with a smile.

"I see you every day, the same time, winding that thing like a village priest saying mass."

"Yeah, why is it that Dale?" Danny asked. Everyone looked at Danny, surprised to hear the boy speaking.

"I've wondered this myself." Jacqui confessed after the moment of silence. Andrea nod too in agreement.

With a smile still on his face, Dale spread his hands open and out to the group. "I'm missing the point."

"Unless I've misread the signs, the world seems to have come to an end." Jacqui smiled at Dale. "At least hit a speed bump for a good long wild."

"But there's you every day, winding that stupid watch." Morales told him.

"Time... it's important to keep track, isn't it?" Dale asked, once again spreading his hands out to them. "The days at least. Don't you think Andrea?" Dale looked over at the blonde. "Back me up here." Andrea simply laughs and takes a sip of her beer.

"Keeping a watch is meaningless now. What do we have anymore to keep track of other than surviving?" Danny glanced at Dale, waiting for his answer.

"I could ask about those dog tags of yours, Danny. Playing with them when you think no one sees." Dale said back to the boy. Danny pulled the dog tags out from under his shirt before pulling them over his head.

"They're my mom's." Danny handed them to Dale. "Keep them with me. Only thing I got left of her now." Dale smile softened as he looked down at the cool metal that laid in his hands. Dale handed them back and Danny put them back where they belong before looking back at Dale again.

"I like... I like what, um, a father said to son when he gave him a watch that had been handed down from generations. He said 'I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire, which will fit your individual needs no better than it did mine or my father's before me; I give it to you not that you remember time, but that you may forget it for a moment now and then, and not spent all of your breath trying to conquer it.'" Everyone fell silent as they took in what he said.

"You're so weird." Amy said, causing Danny to smile and everyone to laugh.

"It's not me, it's Faulkner- William Faulkner. Maybe my bad paraphrasing." Dale said to them all. Amy put her mug down, causing Andrea and Danny to to look up.

"Where are you going?"

I have to pee. Jeez, you try to be discreet around here." Amy said as she shook her head. Danny managed a small smile, but somewhere in his gut he felt like something bad was going to happen. He always was good with things like this. Something was going to happen.

Amy went to the RV, while Danny pulled an arrow out. No one, but Dale noticed Danny's strangeness. "What are you doing?"

"I have a bad feeling, just being prepared in case something happens." Danny told Dale as he loaded the arrow, still no one but Dale knew what Danny was doing.

"We're out of toilet paper." Amy calls just as Danny hears something. Groaning. Danny got up quickly and fire. Amy squeaked as the arrow whizzed past her head.

"What the hell, Danny!" Amy yelled, but then she heard the thump of the dead walker hitting the ground. Everyone looked at Danny in shocked. "Oh my god."

"Damn kid, you move fast." Morales said as he looked at the kid.

"How did you..." Dale eyed the boy down.

"I heard it."

"Thank you." Amy hugged Danny, surprising everyone including Danny. Danny's eyes widen when he saw the walkers behind Amy.

"We got more." Danny pulled away from Amy and loaded his bow. "Lots more." That's when the screaming came. Walkers started biting and killing people as the group tried desperately to kill them, but Danny didn't have enough arrows and the group didn't have enough bullets.

"Danny, I'm scared." Danny looked over at Amy. She had so much fear in her eyes at that moment.

"Follow me!" Shane yelled.

"There's too many!" Danny cried out as he grabbed his knife and stabbed a walker in the head that was getting to close. "Amy stay with me." Danny said as he pulled Amy close to him. Amy held tightly onto him.

"No! No!" Amy looked around as she heard her sister.

"Andrea!" Danny held Amy so she wouldn't run.

"There's too many, Amy. You have to stay here." Amy had tears running down her face as she looked at Danny.

"Come on, come on, stay close! Stay close!" Shane's voice shouted as Danny tried desperately to keep walkers off them. Danny's heart beat was racing and his breath was racing. Danny knew he was getting a panic attack and it was only a matter of time before he lost control. Black spots began to fill his vision as he couldn't hear anything over the sound of his heavy breathing.

"Danny! Danny!" Daryl could hear his son's name being called, it made him think the worst. His heart was racing at the thought of losing his baby boy too. He wouldn't do it. He couldn't. He couldn't lose his baby.

"Danny!" Daryl yelled as he fired bolt after bolt trying to clear the way to his son, or at least hopefully the way to his son. Daryl found Danny on his knees, trying to get his breathing under control as Amy watched over him with fear. Daryl slid to his knees and in front of his son. "Danny look at me! Daniel!" Daryl never calls Danny by his full name, it's enough to get Danny a bit more under control. "Hey listen to me kiddo. I'm here, I'm right here." Daryl took Danny's hand and made Danny take the dog tags in his other hand. "It's okay, just breath kiddo. Just breath." The group was killing off the walkers, but at the moment Daryl didn't care. He only cared about getting his son under control again.

"Dad?" Danny raspy voice managed to say and Daryl sighed in relief knowing Danny was going to be okay.

"Yeah, it's me. Come on, let's get you up." Daryl helped Danny up from the ground as Amy looked at the youngest Dixon with fear.

"Are you okay?" Amy asked, her voice shaking with fear.

"I'm fine." Danny managed to say just as the group took down the last walker. Amy wrapped her arms around Danny, but he was too tired to care about his father seeing. Daryl looked over at the two before going to Rick. They need to clean this up.


End file.
